Genk already have Rangers in their rear-view mirror as Belgian struggles put their minds away from Ibrox clash
The Belgians make the trip to Ibrox on Thursday, but their focus appears to be elsewhere
Rangers begin their latest Europa League campaign at home to KRC Genk on Thursday night with their Belgian opponents also feeling the heat following a difficult start to their domestic season.
Genk slipped to their second defeat in their first eight league games with an agonising 2-1 loss to reigning champions Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on Sunday in which they conceded in the 94th minute.
That setback left them sitting third from bottom with only eight points on the board so far and now prepare to make the trip to Ibrox on matchday one of the revamped league phase.
The Gers, meanwhile, head into the fixture after securing a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup quarter finals following yet more angry fan protests against the board prior to Saturday's match.
Head coach Russell Martin is still facing calls from supporters to be axed from the dugout after just three months in charge, with sporting director Kevin Thelwell and CEO Patrick Stewart also in the firing line.
But the situation is also a tad unsettled in the Genk camp amid reports that manager Thorsten Fink has been given the next two games to save his job to ensure the stage is set for a massive night for both sides.
So how is the current mood among the Genk squad ahead of their visit to Glasgow?
‘No pressure’ on Genk heading into Rangers tie
Midfielder, Jarne Steuckers reckons there's “no pressure” on his side, despite their manager finding himself in a precarious position. He reckons they can take a relaxed approach and claims they have been playing well without getting the results to back it up.
“The Europa League game at Rangers is without pressure for us and we can build confidence there,” he said “I think we're putting in good performances and playing good football. We were the better team against the champions.
“This is a low point, but when you reach the lowest point, you can only go up. We have to pull ourselves up and just get back up. At the moment, we are not taking our chances and we need to start doing that this week.”
Boss prioritises derby clash over Rangers tie
Under-pressure German boss Fink suggests his players have "nothing to lose" heading to Glasgow and has even admitted that he is more focused on next weekend's Limburg derby showdown with Sint-Truidense VV next weekend, with the game holding more importance to their season.
Speaking after Sunday's loss, he said: “This result shouldn't slow us down. I'm glad we have nothing to lose in a different league on Thursday in Glasgow. It's a chance to build confidence for Sunday's important derby.”
Genk urged to play with ‘no fear’ at Ibrox
Veteran Japanese winger Junya Ito, who scored Genk's consolation goal in the loss to USG is hopeful his team-mates need to learn to start playing without fear and anxiety - something that Light Blues boss Russel Martin has publicly accused his players of struggling with this term.
He said: “This loss obviously doesn't do us any good, but we have a very young team. Fear would be a bad advisor. It will definitely work out.”
Rangers win could turn around season
Defender Matte Smets believes a victory over Rangers could turn their own season around as he urged supporters for patience.
He stated: “We are well aware that eight points from a possible 21 isn’t a good start and well below the expectations of the club and fans. We are all giving 100 per cent, but it’s just not happened for us yet.
“I totally understand the frustrations of the supporters. I don’t blame them. Only we can fix this and change the course of the season. A good result against Rangers would change everything.”