Kirk Broadfoot recalls Rangers powderkeg against Panathinaikos and explains why things could be worse now

Daily Record

3 days ago

As one of Rangers' 2008 UEFA Cup heroes Broadfoot knows exactly what it takes to withstand a fiery night in Athens.
Kirk Broadfoot felt the heat on the park and off it the last time Rangers entered the Panathinaikos cauldron.
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A powderkeg evening in Greece saw Walter Smith 's side come under fire from a pumped-up Pana and their crazy ultras.
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Broadfoot was just relieved that UEFA Cup firecracker in February 2008 - which paved the way for Gers to go on a run all the way to the final - wasn't also played in a summer Mediterranean furnace.
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As it was a late Nacho Novo goal sealed a backs-to-the-wall 1-1 draw in the ramshackle Stadio Aspostolos Nikolaidis and ensured Rangers Euro hopes never went up in flames. It was enough to seal an away goals victory and qualification for the last 16 of the competition.
But Broadfoot admits they had to withstand a 90-minute battering.
Seventeen years later and Rangers are facing another do-or-die Euro double header with Pana - but this time in the Champions League qualifiers with the second leg to take place in Athens' Olympic Stadium during the height of the summer holiday season.
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Temperatures are forecast to hit the high 30s Celsius by the time Russell Martin's troops take the pitch next Wednesday night hoping to avoid being burned at the first hurdle.
Double or maybe even treble the 16,000 fans who turned out back in 2008 are expected to pack in.
And it all means one thing is certain - it's going to be uncomfortable.
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That's why Broadfoot is convinced Rangers must ensure they win Tuesday's first leg in the home comforts of Govan and give themselves a cushion for what's about to hit them eight days later.
The towering defender wasn't one to often feel uneasy in the heat of battle during his career.
But turning his mind back to that night in Greece he told MailSport: 'It was quite intimidating if I'm being honest. I remember going out for the warm up and the stadium was full. You don't really get that over here.
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'The atmosphere was hostile. There's the part with the ultras, they called it Gate 13, where the tunnel was. Sasa Papac had told me to watch out for missiles. He said 'as soon as you go out here they'll throw stuff at you'.
'I didn't really take it on board, that was my first season at Rangers so I'd never really experienced anything like that.
'But once you were out… wow. They were noisy, they were throwing all sorts of stuff at you and I quickly realised 'we're in for one tonight'.
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'The pitch was covered with programmes and all sorts of stuff. They were just launching anything they could get their hands on really.
'Luckily wee Nacho popped up with a late equaliser because we took a wee bit of a doing that night if I'm being honest.
'There's going to be more of them next week. So one thing you can guarantee is it will be intimidating.
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'I expect the Rangers players, the likes of James Tavernier and John Souttar, to be used to that now. But it will be hostile. They do really get behind their team over there.
"On top of that they will have to contend with the heat. When we played it was February and the temperatures weren't too bad. It was still warm compared to what we were used to but it wasn't too bad. I think it was sitting at 17 or 18 Celsius.
'But that could be a big factor now for Rangers going over there at this time of the year.
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'Obviously the Panathinaikos players will be more used to it, you do acclimatise to where you play and train in it.
'It will be a factor especially the last half hour of the game with the fans pushing Panathinaikos on. That's when the fitness levels will be pushed to the max.
'That's why I really think Rangers need to build up a lead in the first leg to take over there.
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'It's so early for them to be playing this level of game. So much is riding on it. They really could have been doing with an easier start in the Champions League.'
Broadfoot was a key man in Smith's side that rode out the storm in Athens and then helped shock Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina before succumbing to Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 final.
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It was a journey built on solid foundations. Nothing flashy. Being hard to beat.
And it worked a treat. But that's not a gameplan Broadfoot expects to see new boss Martin, renowned for his possession-based style, to adopt no matter the size of the challenge.
He said: 'I know Russell Martin likes to play a possession-based game but will he get to play that against Panathinaikos away? Only time will tell.
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'We always played with four centre-backs in that run to the final. Myself at right back, Carlos Cuellar, Davey Weir and Sasa Papac on the left. That's pretty much four centre-backs. Then in front of us we had Brahim Hemdani and Kevin Thompson just sitting so you'd say it was six really defensive players there.
'We were set up not to concede and try and nick a goal. It worked. Unfortunately, not in the final but it worked all the way through.
'We always made sure we tried to not concede at home with the away goal because if we did then we had to go away and open up and maybe score two. It didn't really suit us at that point.
'But with the away goals rule being scrapped now it changes quite a lot.
'It'll be interesting to see how Russell Martin approaches it. He's got a new-look defence.
'I like the way he talks, the way he comes across. I really do hope he hits the ground running.'