THE form shown by Benfica in their opening two Group D matches in the past 10 days has underlined just why the Lisbon club were in Pot One when the Europa League draw was made in Nyon back at the start of October.

They trounced Lech Poznan 4-2 in Poland last week, brushed aside Standard Liege 3-0 in Portugal on Thursday evening and are comfortably ahead of Rangers, who have beaten the same two sides by less emphatic scorelines, in their section on goal difference as a result.

With Jan Vertonghen and Nicolas Otamendi in defence, Gabriel, Pizzi and Pedrinho in midfield and Luca Waldschmidt, Darwin Nunez and Everton in attack, Jorge Jesus’s cosmopolitan side look capable of going far in the competition, not just reaching the knockout rounds, in the months ahead.

The Ibrox club can certainly expect their sternest examination to date when they travel to play their third fixture in the Estadio da Luz this week.

Steven Gerrard, though, knew full well that would be the case before a ball was even kicked.

The Rangers manager faced Benfica away twice in his celebrated playing career with Liverpool - and ended up on the losing team on both occasions.

The 1-0 defeat that Rafa Benitez’s men suffered against them in the Champions League back in 2006 was followed by a 2-0 reverse at Anfield that ended their defence of the trophy they had won in such memorable fashion in Istanbul the year before.

The English giants avenged that result when they recorded a 5-3 aggregate triumph in the Europa League quarter-finals four years later – but they still required to bounce back from a 2-1 loss in the first leg with a 4-1 victory on their own turf in order to progress.

Gerrard, then, was never under any illusions about the magnitude of the challenge that awaited the Premiership leaders when they were pitted against the Primeira Liga club a month ago. “We’re playing against a major force in Europe who have big experience at this level and above in terms of the Champions League,” he said.

The former England captain is an admirer not just of the Benfica side but also of how they were put together. He has strengthened significantly this summer by bringing in, among others, Leon Balogun, Ianis Hagi and Kemar Roofe. But he is impressed with the scouting work carried out by Rangers’ next opponents.

Jesus has a potent blend of youth and experience and his line-up comprises native Portuguese players (Diogo Goncalves, Nuno Tavares, Pizzi) other Europeans (Odysseas Vlachodimos, Vertonghen, Waldschmidt) and South Americans (Gabriel, Pedrinho, Nunez, Otamendi) too.

“We’ve already started watching Benfica,” said Gerrard. “They’re a good team with really good, individual players. It’s been no surprise they’ve started the group the way they have. They’ve come out of Pot One, so, naturally, they’ll be favourites for the group.

“They recruit exceptionally well in certain areas of the world. They bring in a lot of talented players and I think you can see that in the way they play.”

Typically, Gerrard is looking forward to the experience. His Rangers team has drawn with Legia Warsaw, Villarreal, Feyenoord and Porto and beaten Midtjylland, Braga, Willem II and Liege on the road since being appointed two-and-half-years ago. So he has reasons to be optimistic.

“What a mouth-watering game for us to go and challenge ourselves in,” he said. “These are the games we want to test ourselves in. It’s a game we’re really looking forward to. I look round my squad of players and I think it’s coming at a good time. It’s something for the players to enjoy, challenge themselves and try to get a positive result.”

In Borna Barisic, who set up Alfredo Morelos for his record-equalling winner against Lech at Ibrox on Thursday night with one of his penetrating crosses from wide on the left, Gerrard is of the opinion that Rangers have a player who is good as anyone in the Benfica side.

“When Borna is in the right place from a mental point of view, he’s capable of a performance that he gave on Thursday night which is high level,” he said. “That’s the reason why he’s named and picked as the best left-back in Croatia. When he gets into the final third, he’s got incredible quality. His delivery is exceptional.

“His numbers for a full-back alongside James (Tavernier) are really, really admirable for that position. He’s another one who is in good form. He’s started the season really strong.”

Calvin Bassey, the Leicester City youth player who joined Rangers for a nominal fee during the summer, came on for Barisic against Liege after the defender suffered a quad injury in the first-half and took onlookers aback with his contribution.

Gerrard believes that Bassey is helping to ensure that Barisic is performing at a high standard on a weekly basis when fit and feels the same is true on the other side of the park with Nathan Patterson and James Tavernier.

“It’s interesting to watch Borna and James because they’ve got big competition for places,” he said. “I wouldn’t think twice about putting Nathan in to start a game the way he’s looking and training. Calvin has already proved that he’s capable of stepping in as well. Both James and Borna know they have a challenge for their positions which is good for us.

“The schedule is a huge challenge. I’m not the first manager that will say that. But if you’re in a good place and winning then it breeds confidence and belief. It can help you to roll into games very quickly.

“We’re not getting much time on the training pitch so we have to do more off the pitch in the auditorium or classroom in terms of preparation. Listen, the players are happy, smiling and bouncing into work. We’ve got good options and people really chomping at the bit to play game time. I couldn’t ask for anything more in terms of the players.”