Leon Balogun hopes Rangers can return to form against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce

Leon Balogun is a fan of Jose Mourinho but hopes Rangers’ Europa League clash against his Fenerbahce team on Thursday sees the Ibrox side return to form.

The Light Blues’ 2-1 home defeat by Motherwell in Barry Ferguson’s first home game as interim boss condemned them to a third successive defeat at Ibrox for the first time since 2012.

Balogun started on the bench but came on at half-time as part of a triple substation with the Steelmen leading through goals from Luke Armstrong and Tom Sparrow.

Cyriel Dessers pulled one back after the break, but it was not enough as the Light Blues ended Saturday night 16 points behind William Hill Premiership leaders Celtic.

Balogun is looking forward to taking on Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Turkey and hopes Rangers can rediscover the form which saw them qualify for the knockout stages of the competition.

The 36-year-old defender said: “I think I played against Mourinho only once.

“That was my Premier League debut and we beat him (Manchester United) with Brighton 3-2 at home. So that is a very fond memory.

“He’s a very, very big character. A very big manager in the football world and there’s a lot of respect that you need to have for his name.

“I personally enjoy his press conferences because a lot of people, I think, call him arrogant.

“Might be. But I think he’s a very special character. And I think you need a few characters who are not too generic in football to keep it entertaining.

“And also to give you guys (the media) something to write about.

“It’s a big opportunity for us on Thursday away. It might actually help that we play the first game away after what happened domestically and get supporters back on our side.

“But, again, we need to make at least two massive steps forward from today in order to get a result there.

“It probably helps that then we play European football again straight after, a week later. So it’s a massive chance, a massive opportunity.

“And we really need to put everything into the game. We have to do it anyway, but now even more.”

After home defeats to Queen’s Park in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup and St Mirren in the league, the disjointed Gers suffered another setback on Saturday.

Ferguson admitted a repeat of the performance against Motherwell could see Rangers face heavy defeats to Fenerbahce and Celtic, whom they play after the Europa League double-header.

Balogun said: “We have to prove him wrong.

“But he’s making a fair point because, if you can’t beat Motherwell, with all due respect to them, at home, I think it’s fair to say that Celtic and Fenerbahce are a different type of opposition and probably higher quality as well.”

Balogun is at a loss to explain the poor recent results at Ibrox.

He said: “I wish I could tell you, honestly. It’s painful for me personally and I’m sure it is painful for the boys in the dressing room now. It’s quite flat.

“It certainly is for every supporter because I’m very well aware of what many of them give to be here every week or every two weeks.

“We’ve let them down again.

“It feels like every other week one of us is sitting in front of you guys, standing in front of that camera, trying to explain something.

“But I think people are just tired and so are we.

“But it’s in our hands to turn it around. Honestly, I think you know me, I’m very straightforward always.

“But I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to right now. It’s baffling and it’s painful.”