Jack Butland buries sweet Rangers taste in Europa League as mentality factor proves key to Celtic derby loss response

It hasn’t taken long for Jack Butland to get used to life at Rangers.

At other clubs you might get to bask in the glory of a big European win. But the Englishman has quickly realised that’s not how it works in Glasgow. Butland was superb for Michael Beale’s side in Thursday night’s impressive 1-0 Europa League victory over Real Betis. But at an Old Firm club it’s always the next game that’s most important. And if you don’t win it? You’re back under the microscope.

Butland has only been at Ibrox a few months. But he gets it. And that’s why the early signs are that he might just be Beale’s best signing yet. The 30-year-old knows he’s under pressure to deliver titles and is thriving under that weight of expectation. Butland was delighted to get three Group C points against the Spaniards in midweek. But savouring it is a luxury he can’t afford at Rangers. He insists the Betis result was forgotten about when Beale’s players left the pitch. And now all of their focus has to be on Motherwell in the Premiership this afternoon.

Butland said: “You don’t need to be here long to realise how tough it is. It’s hard to go again, keep people fit and take Thursday night’s performance then bury it. It doesn’t matter anymore, we have to beat Motherwell.

“When you win, you have to find a way of bottling that up and keep rolling it out. That’s what you have to do in this league and every game is tough. There’s a test, whether it’s physical or mental, every team offers something different.

“Motherwell will be different to Real Betis but we must have the same intent. That’s the pressure cooker that comes with playing for Rangers. If you’re not winning every game 3-0, you’re under pressure here. Not just the manager, that’s all of us.

“A result like