West Ham star Tomas Soucek is desperate to draw Scottish giants Rangers in the Europa League last 16 this Friday.
While Rangers were busy sealing one of the best results in their history at Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Europa League play-off match last week, West Ham were sitting back assessing some of the teams they may face in the last 16.
Rangers strode to a memorable 4-2 win over Dortmund and – with striker Erling Haaland ruled out of the second leg at Ibrox this Thursday – will be favourites to put themselves in the hat for a potential clash with the likes of West Ham.
There are some top clubs left in the competition and the knockout stages promise to be exciting for West Ham and Rangers fans alike.
The draw for the last 16 takes place on Friday at 11am UK time.
And West Ham star Tomas Soucek is desperate to draw ‘big rivals’ Rangers to set up a battle of Britain (whufc.com).
West Ham star Tomas Soucek desperate to draw Rangers in Europa League last 16
“I’m looking forward to the draw, because I’ve been watching the games in the round before us,” Soucek told West Ham’s official website.
“Teams still have their second legs on Thursday, so I’ll watch them, and also I will watch the draw if it’s possible.
“I’ve thought about a few teams I would like to play against, and if I could say one, it would be Rangers, because I want to play against them as a big rival.
“It could be a really good game for teams from England against Scotland, big rivals! It would be a really exciting game for the fans and also for us.
“This team could be good, but everyone we could draw at this stage of the competition will be difficult to face because they have had to win many games to go through. Let’s see – I look forward to it!”
The proposed match would be momentous because West Ham and Rangers have only ever played each other once.
West Ham visited Ibrox in August 1979, losing 3-2 to Rangers in the semi-finals of the Tennent Caledonian Cup pre-season tournament.
It would be the first competitive meeting between two historic clubs with Rangers founded in 1872 and West Ham in 1895.
West Ham were reportedly due to play Rangers in pre-season in recent seasons but plans hit the skids due to the Covid pandemic.
The Hammers did play Rangers’s fierce rivals Celtic last summer, smashing them 6-2 at Celtic Park.
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