´We are something special´ – Butland revels in penalty heroics against Fenerbahce

Jack Butland hailed Rangers’ squad as “special” after they reached the Europa League quarter-finals, keeping their nerve to beat Fenerbahce from the penalty spot.

The Scottish side had a 3-1 advantage from the first leg but were forced into extra time as Sebastian Szymanski scored in both halves to put Fenerbahce 2-0 up at Ibrox.

There was nothing to split the sides in the additional 30 minutes, but Rangers, spurred on by a raucous home crowd, held their nerve from 12 yards.

Dusan Tadic stepped up first but saw his spot-kick saved by Butland, though Ianis Hagi’s saved penalty levelled things up once more.

However, Butland would also save Fred’s penalty before Mert Hakan Yandas skied his effort, ensuring Jose Mourinho’s team were dumped out.

“It’s not tough. When you play in this place with everything that’s on the line, it’s your nature,” Butland told TNT Sports.

“We are something special. I wanted to put something up for the guys, I wanted to get it done. You can’t top this feeling.

“We fully believed we were going to get the job done. The boys dug deep and this is the reward you get. It’s what the fans deserve.

“We could have been more clinical but, boy, we deserved this.”

Rangers have reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the third time, after 2007-08 and 2021-22, having been losing finalists on both of those occasions.

Having won a fourth penalty shoot-out in European competitions, Rangers will now face Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals.

“We probably did it the hard way today, but we got through to the next round, and you see how much it means,” Rangers captain James Tavernier said to TNT Sports.

“These are the special nights in European football which you can’t replace.

“We didn’t actually practice [penalties] this week! Maybe that helped.”

Elsewhere, Lyon also progressed into the last eight of the competition, earning a 4-0 victory over FCSB on Thursday to clinch a 7-1 aggregate victory.

Georges Mikautadze and Ernest Nuamah both scored twice to help the French side cruise through, with Manchester United their quarter-final opponents.