'He will have a few tricks' - Balogun reckons Rangers can deal with what Mourinho throws at them

Rangers defender Leon Balogun has acknowledged the challenge posed by José Mourinho ahead of their crucial UEFA Europa League tie but remains confident that his side can handle whatever the Portuguese tactician throws at them.

Rangers secured an impressive result in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash against Fenerbahce, putting themselves in a strong position to advance. 

However, with Mourinho at the helm of the Turkish side, Balogun expects a tactical battle in the second leg but believes Rangers have what it takes to progress.

Speaking to Sky Sports, as reported by Daily Record, Balogun described the upcoming fixtures as a defining period for the club. 

"It's a big week with two perfect fixtures. Obviously, Fenerbahce is first up, and we had a very good result over there. But we're going against the Special One with some very good players, and I think it's far from over," he said.

Mourinho, a multiple-time European champion, is renowned for his ability to turn ties around in the latter stages of competitions. 

Despite this, Balogun insisted that Rangers must remain focused on their own objectives and take things one step at a time.

"I can only speak for myself, but it really is like that—one game at a time," the Nigerian international continued. 

"I don't think about the weekend so much. Obviously, it is there, but those games are always big.

"Right now, the main focus is getting through to the next round in Europe; therefore, we have to focus on Fenerbahce. I'm sorry to be boring!"

Rangers delivered a strong performance in the first leg, securing a result that put them in control of the tie. 

However, Balogun is well aware that Mourinho will not take the defeat lightly and will have a plan to turn things around.

"It was a really good result and performance," Balogun admitted. "But like I said, this is Mourinho, and I'm sure he will have a few tricks up his sleeve. He wouldn't have been happy at all after the tie over there."

Mourinho’s ability to set up his teams to exploit weaknesses in the opposition is one of the reasons he remains one of the most respected managers in the game. 

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United boss has built a reputation for masterminding comebacks in European competition, something Rangers must be wary of.

Despite this, Balogun is confident that his team can rise to the occasion. He believes Rangers can even improve upon their first-leg performance, particularly in possession.

"But 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 concluded.

Rangers fans will hope that Balogun’s belief translates into another strong performance as they look to advance to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League. 

However, with Mourinho’s tactical nous and Fenerbahce’s quality, they will need to be at their very best to finish the job.

Wale Adejumo

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