MY ACCOUNT
Rangers right-back James Tavernier is in red-hot form as he prepares to skipper his side against Crvena zvezda.
The long-serving defender bagged three goals in the Gers’ famous 6-4 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League last 32 stage.
And he will be looking to strike again as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men aim to reach the competition’s quarter-finals.
Ahead of tonight’s first-leg clash, we take a closer look at the Scottish giants’ English star.
History maker
Having joined Rangers from Wigan ahead of their 2015-16 Scottish Championship-winning campaign, Tavernier has seen plenty of change in his time at Ibrox.
A mainstay of the team ever since signing, he was given the armband by former boss Steven Gerrard at the start of the 2018-19 season.
And two years later, he captained the Gers to their first top-flight title in a decade — an historic one, as they did not lose a single league match along the way.
Born in Bradford, Tavernier has grown into a legend in Glasgow.
Goals galore
Tavernier’s three goals against Dortmund took him to 10 for the season across all competitions, meaning he has now reached double figures in three of the last four campaigns.
His scoring record comes with the caveat that he is Rangers’ penalty taker — six of his goals this term have been from the spot — but he has also proven himself to be a predatory finisher from open play.
The 30-year-old’s second goal in the 2-2 second-leg draw with BVB was a typical example, casually losing his man to capitalise on a missed clearance before coolly finishing on the half-volley.
‘A joy to watch’
Not many defenders have the ability to get fans on the edge of their seats — but Tavernier is no ordinary full-back.
Speaking after that memorable meeting with Dortmund at Ibrox, former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves waxed lyrical about Rangers’ No2.
The ex-England international said: “He is unbelievable. Free-kicks, penalties, corners — he is magnificent, calm as you like.
“His leadership is so important. When you watch him, he is always one of the best players on the pitch. He’s a joy to watch.”
High praise indeed from a two-time Champions League winner.
Set-piece specialist
If Tavernier is not scoring goals, the chances are he is setting them up for others. This season has seen him go past 100 assists as a Rangers player.
A dead-ball expert, the former Newcastle youngster’s one assist in the Europa League so far this term came from a characteristically pinpoint corner — headed home by Leon Balogun in a 2-0 group stage victory over Brondby.
Just four players have created more chances from set-pieces in the current edition of the competition than Tavernier (eight), with West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell (nine) the only defender among them.
A winger in disguise?
Arguably the most attacking full-back in the Europa League, Tavernier ranks fifth for both open-play crosses and passes into the box per 90 (3.86 and 8.71 respectively) among players to feature for 450 minutes or more.
Under Gerrard, he was given plenty of licence to maraud down the line and get into the area.
It worked to great effect, so it comes as no surprise that Van Bronckhorst — a left-back in the latter years of his own playing career — has not meddled.
Tavernier’s 15 touches in the opposition box place him seventh among Europa League defenders. What he does with those touches going forward could prove pivotal to Rangers’ chances of continental success.
