Rangers will travel to Istanbul for the first time in almost 24 years this evening as they face Turkish giants Fenerbahce in the last 16 of the Europa League.
Interim boss Barry Ferguson will be hoping for a huge improvement from his team, with his struggling squad entering the mammoth clash in Türkiye on the back of three successive home defeats to Motherwell, St Mirren and Queen’s Park respectively.
Currently second-place in the Turkish top flight, Jose Mourinho’s side are favourites heading into the game, though tonight’s game will be just the third meeting between the sides in their history, having previously only met in qualifying for the 2001-02 Champions League. The Turkish side progressed that time, winning the tie on aggregate after securing a 0-0 draw at Ibrox on the back of a 2-1 home win in the first-leg.
But what happened to the starting XI from Rangers’ last meeting against Fenerbahce in Istanbul? With three Ibrox Hall of Famers, a Rangers cult hero turned carpenter and an EPL scout, we assess at what happened to the Rangers team that lost 2-1 to Fenerbache in 2001.
5. Tony Vidmar
The Australian defender was a reliable performer for the club between 1997 and 2022, playing over 150 games after arriving from NAC Breda. A two title time winner, Vidmar also won two Scottish League Cups and three Scottish Cups during his time in Govan. However, he is perhaps best remembered for his goal in a 2-0 win over Parma in a Champions League qualifiers on an electric night at Ibrox. Vidmar is now head coach of Australia's Under-23 soccer team, where he was appointed in 2022. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
6. Scott Wilson
The Rangers academy product made his debut as a 19-year-old in Champions League defeat against Ajax at Ibrox in 1996, and went on to appear 75 times for the club over his career. He started the last time the side's clashed in Istanbul, but left shortly afterwards, signing for Dunfermline Athletic the following January. He spent seven years with the Pars before moving to Australia with North Queensland Fury, where he ended his professional career. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Photo: SNS Group
7. Claudio Reyna
The classy American midfielder won a domestic double with Rangers during the 1999-2000 season, before leaving to become Sunderland's then-record signing in December 2001. An ACL injury disrupted his time on Wearside, with the Black Cats were relegated from the English Premier League in his absence. He later played for Manchester City and New York Red Bulls before retiring in 2008. In his post-playing career, Reyna linked up with the City Football Group and became technical director of newly-formed MLS outfit New York City FC in 2013, staying in the position until 2019. Most recently, he was Sporting Director of Austin FC, but left the club in 2023 after being named in a scandal that saw him accused of blackmailing then-coach USA head coach Gregg Berhalter. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Photo: SNS Group
8. Bert Konterman
A Rangers cult hero largely due to a single, unforgettaable stunning 30-yard, extra-time goal against Celtic in the 2002 League Cup semi-final at Hampden, Konterman played for the club between the years of 2000 and 2003. The Dutch defender started coaching football camps upon his retirement in 2009, before being appointed technical director at Dutch club FC Zwolle. He had a spell as Netherlands under-20s manager shortly afterwards, before a bizarre turn of events saw Konterman leave the world of football for a brief period in order to take up carpentry, setting up his own business. He recently returned to football as a scout with English Premier League outfit Brighton, saying: "Carpentry is really beautiful. But I've kept that urge for football." | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Photo: SNS Group