Rangers to mark 150th anniversary with pre-season friendly against Real Madrid
By Ross Jackson
Rangers will host Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly at Ibrox this summer as they celebrate their 150th anniversary.
Steven Gerrard's side's preparations for the 2021/22 season are already well underway, with the Gers aiming to defend their Scottish Premiership title having wrestled it back from city rivals Celtic for the first time since 2011.
The club have already confirmed friendlies against Premier League duo Arsenal and Brighton as well as clashes against lower league outfits Tranmere and Blackpool, and now they've announced the most glamorous outing of them all - a pre-season friendly against Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants will visit Ibrox on Sunday 25 July, with the club taking to their official website to announce the news.
"Rangers’ 150 years has seen countless memories created, not only with regular, record-breaking success at home, but also in continental competition, where the club have enjoyed so many phenomenal nights," the statement read.
"It has seen the club become a name which resonates right around the continent with football supporters of all generations, and this coming year, of course, will see the Light Blues become the first major European club to reach that milestone of 150 years.
"It seems rather fitting, therefore, that the club can today confirm another of Europe’s major clubs as the opposition for the final pre-season fixture for Steven Gerrard’s side. 13-time champions of Europe Real Madrid, led by Carlo Ancelotti, will visit Ibrox on Sunday 25 July, as the final test ahead of competitive action beginning six days later on Saturday 31
The statement went on to recall the only other Glasgow meeting between the pair, with the friendly used as a warm-up event prior to the start of Gerrard's side's Scottish Premiership campaign.
"Only once before have Rangers welcomed Los Blancos to Govan - that meeting coming in season 1963/64 in the first round of the European Cup.
"Then, both sides would have had genuine ambitions of going all the way in the tournament, and over 80,000 packed Ibrox to see a side well-renowned in the city following their 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the competition at Hampden three years earlier.
"A 1-0 loss with the great Ferenc Puskas netting the winner with just four minutes left was followed by a 6-0 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu – that man Puskas netting a hat-trick on that night with Real going on to reach the final.
"This meeting is sure to be a superb occasion, and a fantastic test for Steven Gerrard’s side ahead of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers as two of European football’s most famous names go head to head."