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Greg Stewart delighted as Rangers draw Braga in Europa League

Rangers have already overcome Portuguese opposition in this season's competition.

Rangers forward Greg Stewart has welcomed the Europa League last-32 draw as an "excellent" outcome after his side were paired with Braga.

The Ladbrokes Premiership club will return to Portugal in February after drawing there against Porto in October and beating the double European champions at Ibrox last month.

Braga – who lost to Porto in the 2011 final – have been impressive in Europe this season, topping their group ahead of Wolves with four wins and two draws after beating both Brondby and Spartak Moscow home and away in the qualifiers.

But they sit seven places behind Porto in ninth spot in the Portuguese league and Stewart is confident Rangers can get to the last 16.

"I think it's an excellent draw for us," he said. "Every game is going to be difficult. You look at the big English teams as well and we thought we might get drawn against one of them.

"But it's a game we feel we can definitely win over two legs.

"Our performances in Europe have been top drawer. We were unlucky not to top the group and were kicking ourselves a bit, but the bigger picture before the group started, getting through was the main objective.

"We have played against a Portuguese team and Porto are probably a Champions League team, so we will be feeling confident."

Stewart and the rest of the Rangers squad watched the draw while eating their training-ground Christmas dinner, and reactions were varied.

"There was a bit of a mixed bag," he said. "Some boys wanted the bigger teams because you want to play against them and test yourself.

"But every game is going to be tough. We will take lots of confidence from how we have performed in Europe this season."

Stewart was speaking as he and his team-mates visited patients at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and delivered a £10,000 donation from the Rangers Charity Foundation.

"It's always nice to come and see the kids," the former Dundee and Birmingham player said. "It's obviously a tough time of the year for kids to be in hospital, so it's nice to come and put a smile on their face if you can.

"I have a couple of kids myself. It's a big day, all the players always look forward to it."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
CCeltic440092286490
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts412151391267
4Kilmarnock41124543255
5St Mirren41124449-547
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen44004650-447
2Hibernian42025158-745
3Motherwell42025557-243
4Ross County41123665-2934
5St Johnstone40132753-2632
RLivingston42022869-4124
 
First Phase
CCeltic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


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