JEAN-CLAUDE Darcheville believes Rangers can turn the tables on Celtic this season by using a lack of European football to their advantage in the title race.
The Ibrox side fell at the final hurdle as a gruelling fixture schedule took its toll and Celtic retained their crown on the concluding day of the last campaign.
This time around, Rangers have no distractions from league business following their s
hock early exit from Champions League qualifying.
In contrast, Celtic – four points ahead at the summit of the SPL – head into tomorrow night's match in Aalborg hoping to keep alive their hopes of progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League.
And Darcheville – who netted his first goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Aberdeen at the weekend – believes an extended European run for the Hoops can only benefit Rangers.
He said: "They have a four-point lead just now but the difference this season is that we only play one game each week, unlike last season when everyone knows that we lost the championship because we played every three days.
"Now we don't have anything like that fixture load and it gives us a much better chance of winning the title.
"Celtic on the other hand are still in Europe and the Champions League and they will have the same problem we had. The fact they will be playing every three days will be good for us."
Darcheville has been linked with a return to France in the January transfer window but insists he is keen to add to his collection of silverware before departing Ibrox.
He added: "When I do eventually leave I hope it's going to be after winning some more medals.
"Last season we won two trophies – the League Cup and the Scottish Cup – and reached the UEFA Cup final. And, of course, we also lost the championship on the last day.
"But this season the team is improved with the new signings and we have a much better chance of winning the title."
The full article contains 347 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
