DOZENS of Ibrox seats were smashed to pieces by frustrated Fenerbahce fans after they saw their team crash out of the Europa League to Rangers.
The Scottish Premiership side marched into the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a dramatic penalty shootout win in Glasgow.
3
3
3
Gers lost 2-0 on the night to the Turkish giants after a 3-1 win in Istanbul but triumphed in the end thanks to two spot kick saves by Jack Butland and a howler from Mert Hakan Yandaş.
For most of the night in the stands the relationship between the two sets of supporters was cordial.
Both home and away fans joined together in a minute’s applause for tragic Gers supporter Chris Potter, who died in a car accident in Istanbul last week.
Rangers had erected segregation netting inside the stadium for the first time.
It will be in use again for the home tie against Athletic Bilbao and the next Old Firm game against Celtic.
However towards the end of the match, things turned sour.
Contentious decisions on the pitch – including three penalty claims for Fenerbahce – led to some unsavoury scenes in the stands.
Fenerbahce goalkeeper İrfan Can Eğribayat was targeted by a missile thrown from the crowd during extra-time.
The keeper picked up a vape and handed it to referee Espen Eskas, who disposed of it beside the pitch.
Meanwhile at the other end of the stadium in the Broomloan Stand (the incident involving Eğribayat happened down towards the Copland Stand), images show the damage caused to seats at Ibrox by some Fenerbahce louts.
Several of the chairs had the backs and/or the seat ripped from its hinges.
The vandalism took place in the lower tier of the stand, nearest to the goal.
Ibrox won’t host another match until April 5, when Gers welcome Hibs, allowing for repairs to be carried out.
Ferguson hails heroes
By BILL LECKIE
After the game, Barry Ferguson hailed his Rangers heroes for riding a rollercoaster to Euro glory.
The caretaker Ibrox boss went through every emotion as his leg-weary side clung on to win a nerve-shredding penalty shootout after throwing away a two-goal first leg led.
And a drained Ferguson said: “This team has been fine when they’ve gone ahead, but when something goes against them they go into their shells.
“But this time, they didn’t. They kept driving on, they kept running themselves into the ground. They didn’t feel sorry for themselves, they showed character – and maybe some people will now start to think these guys have got something about them.
“This was definitely one of the longest rollercoaster rides you’ll ever be on. I mean, where do you start? We played well, we could have done better on their two goals, then we handled the penalties situation really well.
“I’m delighted for Jack. I’ve known him since he was a young boy at Birmingham when I played there and he’s a great lad. He’s taken a lot of flak recently, but he’s been brilliant here.
“I’m delighted for all the players, for the board of directors and most of all for the supporters, who now get another great away day.”
But Ferguson refused to rate his side’s chances against Athletic Bilbao in the last eight – because all he wants to think about is facing Celtic two days from now.
He said: “As soon as I ran on the park and jumped on Jack’s back, all that was in my head was who’d be ready for Sunday.
“It’s about who’s going to walk into the training centre in half-decent condition, that’s all I’m thinking just now. We’ll take care of the Bilbao situation after we play another few games.
“The most important thing for me here was just to get into the last eight. It gets the club a couple of pounds, but also it gives my group of players to go and showcase their talents against really top opposition.
“We need to go and show what it means to play at this club. It’s a long shot in terms of getting to the final, but we’re going to give it our best shot.”
Meanwhile, gutted Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho – who swears his side should have had a penalty for a Nico Raskin tackle on Hakan Yandas in the last minute of extra time – says it will be a PHENOMENAL result if Rangers knock out Bilbao.
The Spaniards beat his former club Roma earlier in the evening and he smiled: “I see Roma played with ten men from the tenth minute. And the final is in Bilbao.
“It’s the Road to Bilbao, yes?
“So it will be phenomenal if Rangers beat them. I played against Bilbao in the group stage and they are a stronger side than Rangers, but anything is possible.
“As for us, we won tonight. We won 2-0. Only one team scored, only one team deserved to score more, only one team deserved to win after 90 minutes, after 120 minutes.
“On 120 minutes, we should have had a penalty – though maybe we would have missed it.”
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
