By CALUM CROWE
Published: 19:04 EST, 12 December 2024 | Updated: 19:04 EST, 12 December 2024
Rangers manager Philippe Clement claimed he was unsatisfied by a Europa League point against Tottenham — insisting his team should have beaten the English Premier League giants.
On a pulsating night at Ibrox, Rangers were the better side for much of the contest and deservedly took the lead when Hamza Igamane fired them in front shortly after half-time.
Tottenham fought back to claim a 1-1 draw thanks to an equaliser from substitute Dejan Kulusevski, with Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers seeing a late effort ruled out for offside.
On his return to Glasgow, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou admitted that his side had been far from their best and could have no complaints about the outcome.
But Clement insisted that Rangers had let Spurs off the hook and that the visitors were fortunate to leave Ibrox with a point.
After outplaying one of the richest clubs on the planet and taking a step closer to the knockout stages, Clement said: ‘I am very proud of the performance. It’s the way we want to see football played.
Clement was proud of his players' performance and frustrated they didn't win all three points
Hamza Igamane celebrates putting Rangers ahead in a pulsating Europa League game at Ibrox
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou said his team had been far from their best in the 1-1 draw
‘If you see where this group of players is coming from, from a few months ago and making performances like this now, it is a big, big step forward for us. On the other side, I’m also disappointed we didn’t take the three points.
‘That would have been even better and would have been the result we deserved with the performance the players gave.
‘The players took the challenge with both hands, they grabbed it and showed what we wanted them to show everybody.
‘I still leave now thinking we should have won, we deserved to win the game. But I think it was a very good advertisement for Scottish football to compete with a Premier League team.
‘I want that mentality within my squad — that they were not satisfied with the point, they felt they were close to winning.’
Clement insisted his side would draw confidence from the result ahead of the weekend’s Premier Sports Cup final and the challenges still to come in Europe this season.
‘There is a lot of potential in the squad,’ continued Clement. ‘It’s about getting experience. They need to play faster, make decisions faster and they all did tonight, so it’s a big step forward.
‘It’s about keeping the hunger and desire to keep doing that so that’s the message to the team.
‘We wanted to impose our football and create our own chances, not park it on the 18-yard box and wait for something to fall out of the sky.
‘We should have won the game. But we can take confidence from this performance.
‘Not only in terms of the weekend (League Cup final against Celtic), but also just in general, to play at such a high level against a top opponent.
‘I don’t want to be happy or satisfied with a draw. That’s the spirit we’re going to need in the next weeks and next months to grow as a club.’
Europa League FinalAnge Postecoglou