Following incredible Rangers victory, Clement smiles with satisfaction – complete Q&A
Here are all of Philippe Clement’s comments after Rangers’ thrilling 3-2 victory over Real Betis to earn a spot in the Europa League Last 16.
Extremely proud of them, truly proud. Today, I saw the stuff we’ve been working on for the past few weeks, which is what I wanted to see. I see a winning squad that never gives up and consists of all players, regardless of whether they start or stop playing. They acted in that manner today. Their game was quite large. As I previously stated, I wanted to see a squad that was courageous when playing football—not just one that wanted to defend—and they accomplished just that.
Betis grew more and more powerful in the second half, but we persisted, stuck together, and put in a lot of effort until the crucial moment arrived. After our brief time together, I have never felt more proud to be a coach.
How happy are you that Rangers defeated a Spanish team in Spain for the first time and that Real Betis lost at home and gave up multiple goals?
I consider myself fortunate to have experienced some memorable nights, and this certainly ranks among the greatest. However, my tendency is to look forward to the next challenge. While I’ve had special moments with Genk and Brugge, this marks the first time I’ve felt this way with this team. I am pleased with the progress we are making in terms of mentality, physicality, technical skills, and tactics. There is still a long journey ahead, but the evolution is evident. The frustration arises from having to make a halftime substitution due to Cifuentes’ muscle injury, but Dijon came in and performed exceptionally well in midfield. This reflects the mentality we need – everyone fighting for the team with quality on the ball. Scoring three excellent goals adds to my satisfaction, and breaking several records feels akin to achieving the seemingly impossible in the Olympics. The boys did the right things without the ball, displayed bravery, never gave up, and showcased quality. This performance should serve as the reference point for the remainder of the season. If we stay united, we can achieve remarkable things together.
What good can such performance do for the team before Sunday?
Nothing. We beat Betis, thus in my opinion, it makes no difference. The game is different. Naturally, this will boost our confidence, but for the time being, we must make sure that we maintain our groundedness. The opponent and game are completely different. The most important thing about today is that everyone in the locker room understands that they will succeed if they band together and put in the necessary effort.However, since this is only the first football game, we will have to work extremely hard to win this first prize. But we also must have humility.
Cyriel Dessers has faced criticism this season. How satisfied are you with his goal?
It’s not just about the goal; it’s about the overall effort he put in. Cyriel was one of the players I engaged with during video sessions to enhance his performance, and you can see he’s genuinely putting in the work to adhere to our striker’s playing style. He’s actively contributing to the team, getting opportunities to score, and gaining the confidence of his teammates and coaches. I’m genuinely pleased for him. Additionally, Sam [Lammers], who has received some criticism in recent months, played an excellent game as well.
Are you looking forward to an extended Europa League campaign?
Achieving first place in this group, especially against teams like Betis and Sparta Prague, is already a significant accomplishment. I’m delighted about that. It’s not only a statement for our team but also a positive development for Scottish football, contributing to the co-efficient. Starting Europe in March allows us two fewer games in February, providing an opportunity to strengthen the team through additional training.
How satisfying was it to outperform Manuel Pellegrini with the squad you had?
It’s a collective effort. Honestly, the choices weren’t too difficult this time, and I hope to face more challenging decisions in the coming months. Every player fulfilled their role admirably, displaying focus and concentration on both defensive duties and exploiting the spaces we identified against Betis.
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