Rangers UCL opponents Viktoria Plzen set to lose star player as multi-million pound man's absence ‘a huge loss'
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VIKTORIA PLZEN boss Miroslav Koubek admitted losing star player Pavel Sulc before their Rangers showdown is a huge blow.
The attacking midfielder was last night finalising an expected £7.5 million switch to French giants Olympique Lyon.
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Miroslav Koubek will be without star man Pavel Sulc for the Rangers tie
Credit: Kenny Ramsay
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Sulc has played 167 times for Viktoria Plzen, racking up 78 goal contributions
Credit: Alamy
The Czech Republic international played a key role as Plzen beat Servette 3-1 last week to book their trip to Glasgow tonight.
He failed to travel to Scotland and gutted Koubek said: "It's definitely going to affect us.
"We have to work without Sulc and that's a big loss.
"He's been absolutely amazing for us for the last three years in attack.
"We have to deal with it and sort it out as a team.
"What's important now is the strength of motivation for other players who in the past haven't played because he was on the pitch.
"I'm hoping these other players will now have a chance to show their potential."
Like the whole of Scottish football, Koubek couldn't help but pick up on Russell Martin's blast at his players on Saturday evening after Gers' disappointing display at Fir Park.
Experienced boss Koubek, 73, believes the Light Blues gaffer was simply firing up his troops for tonight's Champions League duel.
Koubek said: "I noticed some things in the media.
Players are running the Rangers dressing room - Martin knows EXACTLY what he's doing
"However, they have beaten Panathinaikos in the previous round, which is a really great success.
"OK, they didn't have that success in their first league game.
"But I wonder if the coach did it in a cunning way to motivate the players more for this match against us."
Now in his third stint as Plzen boss, Koubek admits it will be a special moment in his lengthy coaching career to lead a side out at Ibrox.
And while they have the same failsafe that Gers have of guaranteed Europa League football, the former Sparta Prague goalkeeper is still aiming for the Champions League proper.
Koubek said: "I'm 74 years old soon and in my whole career I was looking up to teams like Glasgow Rangers.
"I have seen them on TV and witnessed the atmosphere at Ibrox.
"I never imagined I would lead a club like Viktoria Plzen, which I respect so much, against a team like Glasgow Rangers.
"Yes, we have a certain guarantee now in terms of the Europa League.
"But we have to be ambitious and the goal of every sportsman is to reach the highest level."
Plzen skipper Lukas Hejda admits it will be strange to take to the field without talisman Sulc to drive the team forward.
Like his gaffer Koulec, the 35-year-old stopper is determined to reach the latter stages of the competition.
Hejda said: "I don't know how it's going to be without Sulc.
"He has played in 90 percent of our games in the last three years, so it's difficult to know how different it will be.
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"I would say it's easier now we know we have a Europa League spot guaranteed.
"But as a team we want to fight for the opportunity to go to the Champions League.
"That is our aim and we are here to get the best result we can."
Hejda has already tasted football on Scottish soil after helping Plzen see off Hearts at Tynecastle in their Europa League play-off last season.
The Czech international is hoping for a similar result tonight but thinks his pals face a much sterner task at Ibrox.
Hejda said: "We have one win from Scotland already and we would definitely like to add a second one!
"However, we can't compare the matches because the teams are very different.
"The 3-1 win against Servette in the last round was a great result for us away from home.
"But we can't expect anything like that here, because Rangers have different qualities."
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