Classic match: Rangers 2 - 0 Parma, Champions League 1999

Rangers 2 - 0 Parma at Ibrox Stadium, Champions League qualification game August 1999. Goals from Claudio Reyna and Tony Vidmar.

Rangers starting XI

Klos,
Porrini, Moore, Amoruso, Vidmar
Reyna,Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst, McCann
Mols, Wallace




Parma had knocked Rangers out of the UEFA Cup the previous year and then went on to win it so it was going to be really tough task for Rangers to beat them when drawn together in Champions League qualification game. It was the hardest draw Rangers could have got that year because the Parma team can be considered as the strongest in the clubs entire history with the likes of Gianluigi 'Gigi' Buffon in goals, Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram in defence, the Argentinians Juan Sebastian Veron and Ariel Ortega in midfield with Hernan Crespo up front. One of Parma's players that night, Paolo Vanoli, was himself later to play for Rangers at the tail end of his career. But forget all of them everything was ok, because Rangers had Tony 'the Tiger' Vidmar!

Rangers were more than a match for their illustrious opponents, whats more they managed this in skillfull "footballing" manner (unlike for example the run in 1992-93 where the fighting spirit and a more traditional "Scottish" approach was their strength). The atmosphere was great to start with but because the game was kicked off the game at a really high tempo the crowd responded to this by getting behind the team even more...and the team responded to that again....it was like a frenzy. So good in fact that three of Parma's most illustrious stars were to later comment on it.

"I'll never forget that game against Rangers and the atmosphere in their stadium in Glasgow, it was incredible, absolutely unbelievable." - Fabio Cannavaro

"Every time i go back to Argentina I always talk about Ibrox to my friends. It's an incredible experience and I have great respect for the supporters - they are strong and supportive but their enthusiasm never spills into violence. Unique" - Hernan Crespo

"I remember two great games against the Glasgow clubs. Rangers and Celtic were both very strong opponents in Europe. I have nothing but good memories of the occasions. I remember the spectacular entrance at Ibrox and the crowd singing Simply The Best." - Gigi Buffon