Russell Martin described his Rangers players as “incredible” after their win over Panathinaikos while reiterating their desire to “really attack” the Champions League.
Martin watched on as his side came from a goal down to claim a 1-1 draw in Athens on Wednesday, earning themselves a 3-1 aggregate win in the second round of qualifying for Europe’s elite competition.
Filip Djuricic’s 53rd-minute header gave the hosts a deserved lead following a lengthy VAR review, though parity in the game was quickly restored by Djeidi Gassama.
Gassama made it two goals in two appearances for his new team as he rifled the ball in off the right post just three minutes after replacing teenager Findlay Curtis.
Rangers were made to work for their win, though, registering an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.72 from their 10 shots to Panathinaikos’ 1.65 from their 20 attempts.
But Martin’s team were able to get over the line, helped by Jack Butland’s imperious showing, with the 32-year-old making five vital saves throughout the contest.
Rangers’ triumph will see them face Viktoria Plzen in the next round after the Czech outfit produced a stunning second-leg comeback to win 3-2 on aggregate against Servette.
The Scottish Premiership side will welcome Plzen to Ibrox next Tuesday before the return leg on August 12.
Full-Time: Panathinaikos 1-1 Rangers (Agg 1-3)
Djeidi Gassama’s perfect strike sends us into the @ChampionsLeague Third Qualifying Round. pic.twitter.com/65jHeeR6Qt
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) July 30, 2025
The result also guarantees Rangers’ participation in the Europa League proper at the very least next season, a competition they reached the quarter-finals of in 2024-25.
But Martin believes that cushion of European football allows his side to put it all on the line in their quest to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2022-23.
“I’ve just said to the players that I’m so proud of them,” Martin told BBC Scotland. “To be five weeks into the process, from where they were to where they are, is incredible.
“It’s never easy away from home. A really difficult place to come. They really dug in and that’s going to be important for us.
“Big John [Souttar] and Nasser [Djiga] were fantastic. Jack Butland’s been brilliant over the last two games; we need to rely on him less.
“We spoke about the importance of the subs before the game, and they did great.
“It’s no mean feat. We’ve qualified for the Europa League, and now we can really attack the Champions League. We will get better. The group will grow so much from this.”
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