There will be no need for Giovanni van Bronckhorst to deliver a rousing pre-match team chat to his Rangers players in the dressing room ahead of the Europa League semi-final tie with RB Leipzig at Ibrox this evening.
James Tavernier and his teammates will all, though still reeling from the sudden loss of their beloved kit man Jimmy Bell earlier this week, be excited for the encounter.
They have the chance to make history by becoming just the fifth team in the Glasgow giants’ 150-year history to reach a European final, so no extra motivation will be needed.
Yet Tavernier yesterday conceded the sad passing of Bell, who had served Rangers in many capacities for nearly 40 years and become something of a legend in his own right, gave them added incentive to perform at their best- same. and triumph.
The right-back was still visibly upset as he addressed the media at Auchenhowie ahead of the second leg with their German rivals.
But he is well aware that his old friend, who was a keen supporter as well as a long-time employee, would want them to focus fully on overhauling the one-goal deficit and booking a place at Sevilla on May 18.
He is determined to do so and pay the ultimate tribute to Bell in the process.
“It’s obviously devastating for the club and anyone who knew Jimmy, especially his family,” he said. “Yesterday was really hard to take. We all made our own decisions to mourn Jimmy. People still do it now.
“But I know Jimmy wouldn’t want all the fuss. He would want us to roll up our socks, roll up our sleeves and stay stuck until the next day. Even in training today. It was him, the standards he set.
“It’s about getting together with the guys today, making sure we have a really good session, which I know we’ll do. Come tomorrow everyone will be ready to go from the first whistle We’re going to do it for the club, do it for the fans and obviously do it for Jimmy.”
He added: “I loved Jimmy to bits. He was one of the first people I met when I joined the club. I remember the first time I met him I asked him for number 2. He even gave me a stick for asking him.
“We have created such a special relationship over the years. It’s really hard to take. The boys who even came this season created a special relationship with Jimmy. He was the heart and soul of this place.
“But we have to focus on the game and try to put in the best performance and try to get to a final where he obviously wants to go. This is our goal. That’s what he would have us do.
Bell used to put the captain’s armband – which he adamantly refused to wash off if Rangers had won the previous game – on Tavernier before kick-off on match day and the Englishman admitted he would find unusual not to have the man in kit tonight to perform the ritual.
“It’s a true story about the captain’s armband,” he said. “He wouldn’t have washed it if we had won. Unless it got too dirty, then we’d agree that I needed a new one.
“Some of those little things are going to be weird when Jimmy’s not around. Those are the little things that everyone had with him. He had something different with every player.
“He was one of mine. Before every game he put on my captain’s armband. It’s going to be strange, but I’m more determined to do everything in my power to make him proud.
Tributes to Bell have poured in from around the world over the past two days and fans of all clubs have flocked to Ibrox to lay flowers, sashes, bands and flags and show their respect.
The Europa League game with RB Leipzig tonight promises to be an emotionally charged occasion and Tavernier hopes the crowd can once again play an important role in the final result.
“Hopefully our atmosphere can affect them,” he said. “We have seen very good teams come to Ibrox and sometimes struggle. I hope that will be the case tomorrow evening.
“You saw in the Braga game when we scored early and that really gave us a boost. Obviously we would like to replicate that with an early goal of really chasing them.
“As a team we just have to try to make it as difficult as possible and do whatever we can to get the right result and limit their chances. Because obviously we know they’re going to be a threat. We we just have to try to do everything possible.
Tavernier continued: “I think there might be a bit of nerves, but we’re playing at home in front of 50,000 fans. It’s another good team coming in front of us. Another eleven-man team.
“The boys will soak it up. We know the fans will be right behind us. This is what we want and this is what we will need. All we can do is give the best of ourselves, give it our all and leave it all on this pitch to have no regrets. If we do that, we have every chance of fighting for a final.
