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Despite a healthy first-leg advantage, the Nigerian star is wary of facing Jose Mourinho in Europe

Rangers defender Leon Balogun has issued a stern warning to his teammates about the threat posed by Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho ahead of their UEFA Europa League second-leg clash.

The Super Eagles centre-back stressed that despite their 3-1 advantage from the first leg, the tie is far from over when dealing with a tactician like Mourinho.

Balogun cautions teammates against complacency

Rangers pulled off a statement win in Turkey, with Cyriel Dessers leading the charge in an electrifying 3-1 victory over Fenerbahce.

The Scottish side will now look to finish the job at Ibrox, but Balogun has made it clear that his teammates cannot afford complacency.

Speaking ahead of the second leg, Balogun said, “It was a really good result and performance. But like I said, this is Mourinho. He wouldn’t have been happy at all after the tie over there, but I think there’s a lot of confidence for us to take.”

Despite the importance of the upcoming Old Firm derby against Celtic, Balogun insisted that Rangers must focus solely on progressing to the next round of the Europa League, adding, “It’s a big week with two perfect fixtures, but right now, the main focus is getting through to the next round in Europe. Therefore, we have to focus on Fenerbahce.”

Rangers aim to build on European form

Rangers have been one of the most consistent Scottish clubs in European competition in recent years, and are 90 minutes away from securing a quarterfinal berth in the Europa League.

Their triumph in Turkey made them the only Scottish team in 20 years to secure an away win in Europe, making them the best representatives of their country.

However, Balogun believes they still have room for improvement, especially when it comes to controlling possession. “I think there’s a lot of confidence for us to take, and we can probably up our game in terms of on the ball,” he noted.

With Mourinho desperate to turn the tie around, Rangers must brace for a tactically intense battle at Ibrox, but if they can hold their ground and play with the same intensity and discipline as in Turkey, they will have a strong chance of securing a spot in the Europa League quarter-finals.