It has been officially confirmed tonight’s clash with PSV at Ibrox will be treated as a full group match, and will feature the traditional walk-on music, the Champions League theme, plus the three circular ground flags in the centre circle.
It will mark the first time this music and the traditional UCL regalia has been seen at Ibrox since 2010, although we cannot for the life of us remember if it was used at the final qualification rounds in this competition that Rangers were in in the reasonably recent past, such as Parma and Copenhagen.
For the record, Ibrox Noise feels this music and occasion should be reserved for the group stage, where it really matters, but equally there’s an entire generation of fans who have never tasted this ceremony at our home turf, having watched it on TV for many other clubs in the meantime.
As you can see from the following, UEFA confirm it:
“As from the play-offs, the walk-on music provided by UEFA must be played from when the players emerge from the players’ tunnel until they have lined up, at which point the UEFA Champions League anthem provided by UEFA must be played. National anthems may not be played.”
Furthermore this image from last year shows the traditional ball and crests on the pitch for a playoff, albeit for some reason they were only digital in this one.
Here in 2018 is the actual thing on the pitch at Red Star in a playoff:
So yes, this paraphernalia will be at Ibrox, even if we feel it’s something we believe should be reserved for the group stage.
What matters more is getting there.