Glasgow Rangers face the Bundesliga high-flyers in a mid-season friendly at the end of this week.
Mark Warburton has suggested that despite knowing how desperate the Rangers fans are to be watching European football again, he has been taken aback by how many supporters will travel for their upcoming friendly with RB Leipzig, the Sunday Post reports.
With the Scottish Premiership currently on a winter break, Warburton’s side will travel to Germany to face the team on Sunday that are only being denied the top spot in the Bundesliga by Bayern Munich.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton
And despite the lure of playing one of the most talked about teams on the continent currently – largely due to the fact that they are enjoying their first ever campaign in the top flight – Warburton suggested that the level of travelling support has left him stunned.
“We will have phenomenal backing in Germany, and I’m not sure what Red Bull Leipzig must be thinking with the amount of Rangers fans that are going to the game,” he said, as reported by the Sunday Post.
“The fans are desperate for European football again, and that’s what we want to achieve this season.
“So many fans have told me they can’t wait for the first European game but never did I believe we would be taking between seven or eight thousand with us for a friendly in Germany.”
It is understandable that the Gers fans are so determined to watch the game. With such a gap between their most recent fixture and their next competitive game, it seems unlikely that Warburton will play anything other than something like his strongest team, so the friendly could arguably provide an indication as to how the side could get on should they qualify for Europe next season.
And if they can pull off a victory in the game then it will surely whet the appetite amongst the supporters for the Gers’ return to continental competition, and give them a significant boost ahead of the second half of the campaign.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
