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• Borna Barisic: Mood at Rangers lifted by Real Betis victory

  Borna Barisic revealed Rangers’ Europa League victory over Real Betis had helped raise the spirits of a demoralised dressing room.

  Abdallah Sima’s second-half goal ensured Michael Beale’s men got off to a winning start in their group campaign and built on the league victory secured at St Johnstone the previous weekend.

  Barisic admitted the mood had been somewhat darker after the derby defeat to Celtic prior to the international break but hoped success in Europe could provide a springboard for better times ahead.

  The Croatian defender said: “These two wins are very big, very important. I felt like we were old Rangers I would say. We were in a good way.

  “I am very happy, people are happy and the dressing room is happy. It’s a very big victory. We deserved the three points, a very huge three points. Betis are a very good team but we played a good game. The crowd was with us during the game. They gave us energy. It’s a very good start to the group.”

  Asked what the mood in the Rangers squad had been like prior to this week, Barisic added: “We have not been happy. We have been very disappointed.

  “We felt that we did not play well in some games. We lost the derby game and it was a hard two weeks to be here to train (after that). I wasn’t there but people said to me and I know what that feeling is like.

  “Then we went to St Johnstone and won the game and now this game. So that’s why we feel much better now. But this is only one game. We need to continue like this, be positive and try to win all our games.”

  Rangers welcome Motherwell to Ibrox on Sunday and Barisic acknowledged the need to keep building momentum.

  He added: “This can be a turning point but it always depends on us. It’s an important win but it’s only one game. We just need to continue like this. There are games every three or four days so the schedule is very busy.

  “It gives us confidence. This game shows we can compete with very good teams. Betis is a good team who finished sixth last season in the Spanish league and that shows they have quality. They came here as the most expensive team in our group – I cannot say the best – and we took the three points. So it’s the perfect start for the Europa League.”

  Rabbi Matondo revealed it was Beale’s half-time team talk that had inspired Rangers’ stirring second-half performance after a flat opening period.

  The forward said: “The manager got us going (at half-time). He wasn’t too pleased with certain aspects of our game and we had to up it in the second half and I felt that we did that. We had to dig in at times but ultimately I believe we deserved the win.”

  The Welsh international conceded he should have given the team an early lead after he fastened on to Kemar Roofe’s long ball only to shoot straight at Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.

  He added: “One hundred per cent I should have scored. I think I snatched at it a bit and on another day it would have been a goal. That’s something I’ll look at again and see what I could have done better at the time.”

• Thomas Tuchel warns Bayern Munich about threat posed by ‘intense’ Bochum

  Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has warned his players they will need to take a physical approach to match the “intense” style of Bundesliga opponents Bochum.

  Bayern return to domestic action on Saturday after opening their Champions League campaign with a 4-3 win over Manchester United in midweek.

  The defending champions are unbeaten in the league so far after following three straight wins with a 2-2 at home to Bayer Leverkusen, a result which left the sides separated only by goal difference at the top of the table.

  Bochum were thrashed 5-0 at Stuttgart on the opening day of the season but have drawn each of their last three games and Tuchel is taking nothing for granted ahead of the game at the Allianz Arena.

  “We need respect for the opponent,” Tuchel said in his pre-tournament press conference. “Bochum are on a good run, three games without defeat, and deservedly so.

  “They have a very intense style of play. We need our best line-up for this game. Bochum isn’t a game where we can just do our thing. We have to be ready and be physically involved. There will be a huge amount of sprints and challenges.

  “Everyone’s come out of the (Man United) match well. I think we have everyone available. We won’t rotate for rotation’s sake.”

  Bayern scored four times against United and could easily have had several more, but Tuchel was unhappy with the manner of the goals his side conceded against their Premier League opponents.

  “We have to do everything together,” Tuchel said. “To concede fewer goals, that’s always the goal. The goals we conceded against Man United were a bit strange.”

  Teenage striker Mathys Tel scored Bayern’s fourth against United and has now found the back of the net three times already this season, all three goals arriving within minutes of coming off the bench.

  “It’s an ideal situation,” Tuchel added. “Mathys is 18 years old and has an important role. The way he accepts the role is fantastic. He has the chance to influence games.

  “The important thing is that his mindset is clear. The fact he wants more (minutes) is natural. He has to be ready but also patient. It could be that he starts tomorrow.

  “We have a lot of competition. Having someone who accepts the role like him is fantastic.”

  Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains sidelined with a calf problem but Tuchel will not take any risks with his return and is happy with the performances of replacement Sven Ulreich.

  “Sven Ulreich is doing a good job, making good saves and trying to implement things in build-up play,” Tuchel said. “He’s made several important saves for us. We have a good goalkeeping team and are very happy.

  “Manuel Neuer is very positive. He’s continuing to do his goalkeeper training, not with the team but individually. It’s not an injury but more issues with his calf. We don’t want to take any risk that an injury can come from it.”

• Jack is back – Pep Guardiola provides positive update on Man City star Grealish

  Jack Grealish could return for Manchester City as the champions host Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

  The England midfielder has missed the treble winners’ last three games with a knee injury and was also unavailable for international duty earlier this month.

  The 28-year-old is now back in training, easing manager Pep Guardiola’s injury concerns after Bernardo Silva this week joined a casualty list that also includes Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic.

  Guardiola said at a press conference: “We need the injured players back because we have a lot of games and we cannot play with the same players.

  “Jack is coming back. He has trained well and maybe he will be ready for some minutes. Kova is almost there, he’s in the last part of the recovery but now we’ve lost Bernardo. John and Kevin are still out.”

  Silva left the field in little obvious discomfort towards the end of the first half of Tuesday’s Champions League win over Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad Stadium.

  Guardiola has since given little information on the nature of the Portugal international’s problem other than to confirm he faces a short spell on the sidelines.

  He said: “He has a little injury. It is nothing much. The clinical development is good but it could be one week, 10 days, two weeks that he will be out.”

  A fortnight’s absence could mean Silva would also miss the Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle, a Premier League game at Wolves and the Champions League clash at RB Leipzig. City then travel to Arsenal on October 8.

  City’s immediate task is trying to extend their winning start to the campaign against Forest.

  City were held to a draw by Steve Cooper’s side last February and Guardiola has been impressed by their progress.

  He said: “When he took over two years ago in the Championship it was not good at Nottingham Forest.

  “But he made an incredible run, got them promoted. They struggled last season but in the end they finished well.

  “There were a lot of good signs and this season they have started really well. They have made more points than last season.

  “They are physical and well organised. We have to be careful but we are optimistic we can do what we have to do, with our people, to make the sixth win in a row.”