Rangers fans 'education', Ibrox 'chills' and James Tavernier EPL class - Serbian media react to Red Star loss

Rangers go to Serbia next week in the second-leg of their round of 16 Europa League tie with a 3-0 advantage.

The Scottish champions ran out comfortable winners in the end against Red Star Belgrade, however the visitors played their part with three disallowed goals, a missed penalty and a shot cannoning off the woodwork.

The headline in Kurir read “The Star has never experienced such a nightmare”, while in Zurnal it read “Red Star deserved a better result at Ibrox, but before the return match at the Rajko Mitic stadium, they will still have an incredibly difficult task”.

Novosti recognised the performance of Dejan Stankovic’s men, saying a number of the Serbian giants' players “played like lions in Scotland”.

Red Star Belgrade fans at Ibrox Stadium. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Former Yugoslavian international Rade Bogdanović, speaking after the game, noted that it wasn't Red Star’s day and that they were "unlucky” but also that they “made many mistakes".

"They succumbed to the atmosphere, they are not for this level of football,” he said.

The most amount of praise arrived from Stefan Kojić in Blic Sport outlined the reasons for Red Star’s loss.

“Some obvious mistakes, but also in the incomprehensible one, which only a magical game like football can direct. And we had no idea it would be just like that.

"Rangers had everything on their side, and we could ask ourselves why, considering that Zvezda is a rival that must not be underestimated. But football is special precisely because facts and logic sometimes don't matter at all.”

He also added that “one cannot escape” the feeling that the 3-0 result is too much for Red Star to turn around.

However, Kojić’s biggest praise was reserved for the Rangers fans and Ibrox’s capacity to create a wonderful atmosphere.

“We've been writing about Ibrox for days, I've heard dozens of stories about the magnificent building, but I certainly didn't expect to get chills every two minutes of the match,” he wrote.

"What the Scots did last night borders on the astonishing. So much energy from the stands, the trembling of the ground under his feet, the roar that steamed the eardrums and spoiled the decibel measuring devices carried the Rangers to victory.

"It is certain that the Scots at Ibrox are at least 30 per cent better team just because of the fans.

“Many older, more experienced people who have come here say that they have never seen anything like this. Is there greater satisfaction than that? Hard. How Scottish fans are ‘educated’ is an example that few in Europe have.

“The fans, as if they knew when to raise the atmosphere to the heat, were the real 12th player, so the question is whether there were minor earthquakes in Glasgow around the stadium. Maybe you should check.”

There was alos praise for Giovanni van Bronkchorst’s team.

“As if their lung capacity was 200 per cent,” Kojić noted. “So, the difference in class was evident when it comes to physical fitness.

“The kid from Liverpool [Ryan Kent] acted like [he was controlled via] a Playstation at certain moments, and Picini found himself in tantalising torment.

“To make matters worse, on the other hand, James Tavernier was brilliant, who could easily move to the Premier League, he is so good.”

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