Rangers Defender John Souttar Views Nice Match as Pivotal for Season’s Success

Rangers defender John Souttar expressed his hope that securing a favorable outcome against Nice could serve as a turning point for a prosperous season. Having accumulated seven points from their initial four Europa League fixtures, Rangers are scheduled to play Nice in France this evening. A victory in this match would position them on the verge of advancing to at least the play-off phase. Souttar believes that achieving such a result could positively impact the entire season, particularly as Rangers currently trail Celtic by 11 points and Aberdeen by eight points in the Premiership standings. “I think when everyone saw the group come out, they knew it was a tough group for us and we’ve got some big results at home and away and on Thursday night it would be brilliant to get the three points,” Souttar stated. “It would be a big thing for the team. It creates belief when you get big results and brings everyone together so it’s something we’re all aiming for.” He added, “We’ve had some really good performances in Europe against some top teams, we’ve come away from home and won one and drawn one, which is a difficult thing to do.” Souttar continued, “As a group, we’ve got a gameplan and we’re here to win. It’s another great opportunity for us.” He concluded, “I don’t think it’s anything to do with style. We’ve performed better in Europe more consistently than in the league. That’s obviously something we’re trying to correct in the league.” This season, Souttar has been an almost constant fixture in the central Rangers defence, and he is among the limited number of players who have garnered praise during what has been a challenging campaign to date, a change from previous periods when he struggled to secure a spot in the starting lineup. When questioned about the factors contributing to his improved form, Souttar responded, “I think it’s just hard work.” He elaborated, “My first season I had a lot of problems, but the last two seasons I’ve felt really good and this season I feel I’m in a really good spot physically, playing every three days.” He attributed this to the club, stating, “That’s a credit to the club and everything that goes on behind the scenes because I feel comfortable playing every game.” Souttar concluded, “That’s a good feeling as a player and you feel you can do that because when you’re at a big club, if you want to play centre-back, you have to be consistent so it was important for me at this stage in my career to get to that level and thankfully this season I have.”