The former Ibrox star thinks Rangers need to take Braga very seriously indeed.
The Portuguese outfit are the seeded team that Steven Gerrard’s side have drawn in the Europa League Round of 32, after they topped a group that also included Wolves, Slovan Bratislava and Besiktas.
Although they are currently eighth in the Portuguese top-flight, below former Gers foes Porto, Mendes has warned they have a lot of quality and have been showing it off well in Europe.
As quoted by BBC Scotland, he said: “In the group, Braga were by far the best team against strong opponents. They’re not doing so well domestically, dropping points where they shouldn’t. But in the Europa League they are playing brilliantly.
“The most important thing about this team is the dynamic they have on the field – the movement, the pace, the way they keep the ball. In the Europa League they have been doing that very well.
“It’s a team that in the past year is playing fantastic, they have great players and Rangers should be careful.”
Still a winnable tie
It certainly sounds as if Rangers are in for a tough double-header but there are plenty of reasons to feel confident ahead of their visit to Ibrox on 20th February, if current form continues.
Gerrard’s team managed to take four points off Porto in the groups, who have better players and are showing more consistency than Braga this season. Two results like that would see Rangers through to the last 16.
Playing away from home is often seen as a European advantage, but with Rangers playing at home first, they can utilise the energy and support for the Gers fanbase to push themselves towards a first-leg win.
If they can win that one then they’ll hope that stars such as Allan McGregor can step up in Portugal and see them through.
Compared to some of the other seeded teams that Rangers could have drawn, this isn’t so bad at all, though Mendes has reminded everyone that it’s hardly going to be easy.
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