Emmanuel Fernandez shifts focus after Rangers’ European exit

Emmanuel Fernandez insists Rangers should not let Europa League disappointment waylay their domestic ambitions.

The 3-1 defeat away to Porto on Thursday night – where the big Gers defender scored an own goal – left Danny Rohl’s already-eliminated side with just four points from 24 and their first defeat in nine games in all competitions.

Rangers travel to Hibernian in the William Hill Premiership on Sunday, looking to keep the pressure on leaders Hearts who are four points ahead, while there is a Scottish Gas Scottish Cup tie against Queen’s Park looming.

Fernandez, the 24-year-old defender who signed from Peterborough last July, told RangersTV: “We came up against good opponents but I still feel that we’re a very good side and I still think there’s a lot more to come from us.

“We move on from this and focus on the league and we have got two competitions, we can still do well.

“We know that there’s 15 (league) games left and we still have got more players coming (to) show what they can do.

“I feel like there’s a lot of quality in this squad, and there’s a lot we can do for the rest of the season.”

The Govan side got off to an encouraging start in Portugal when attacker Djeidi Gassama headed the Light Blues in front from a Findlay Curtis cross after just six minutes.

However, the Govan side soon found themselves under pressure and goals from teenager Rodrigo Mora, Francisco Moura and a Fernandez own goal from a corner had the Gers reeling going in at the interval.

There was improvement in the second half but Porto ran out comfortable winners to book an automatic place in the knockout stages.

“I think we started well, we got into the game well and we took the lead,” said Fernandez.

“But I feel like we just took it off the gas a bit, and obviously we conceded, but we still showed resilience and we still had fight for the game.

“We are frustrated about how we took the lead and then obviously lost it, but I couldn’t be more proud of the boys.

“We still dug in, we still put in a fight and we can’t be more grateful for the support from the fans too.

“The chances that they (Porto) had, they did take them but I feel like we created chances and we had opportunities too that we could have taken.

“We know they’re a good side, we know that they’ve been doing well in their league so far, but now we move on to the next focus, the league.”