Calvin Bassey wants to give Rangers fans some European cheer after experiencing domestic dismay against Celtic at the weekend.
The Light Blues lost 2-1 in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox on Sunday to fall six points behind the Hoops at the top of the cinch Premiership table with just six fixtures remaining and supporters are coming to the terms with the increasingly likely prospect of the title returning to Parkhead.
Ahead of the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie against Braga in Portugal, 22-year-old Gers left-back Bassey outlined his redemption hopes.
He said: “It would mean a lot to put a smile back on their faces.
“They have been with us through the highs and lows of the season and we just want to give them another high tomorrow.
“It would be a confidence booster for us as well. I think it is important for us to go out there and give 110 per cent, nothing less, and try and get a result to put a smile back on the faces of our fans.
“Of course Braga are a good team but we have got this far and we have hopes of getting further.
“We know that they are a good team and we know that we will have to be at our best.
“There is a bit of confidence taken from the games we have had previously against Dortmund and Red Star and what we have had to overcome.
“As someone said before, the character shown from us has been amazing and we will show that same character, that same drive and same passion and hopefully get a result in Portugal.”
It has been a tough few weeks for Bassey, knocked out of the World Cup qualifiers with Nigeria following a 1-1 draw with Ghana before the Old Firm defeat left Rangers’ title hopes up in the air.
However Bassey, a product of the Leicester academy, is enjoying the new challenges and said: “Competitions are always changing. There is a lot of travelling, it is demanding on you physically and mentally but this is the position I have always wanted to be in.
“I have wanted to play week in week out, wanted to play internationals.
“So I can’t get to this stage now and give up or feel sorry for myself. I have just got to take each game as it comes and try and give the best performance I can give no matter where I am playing.”
