RANGERS' set-piece struggles are about to be put to the test on Wednesday evening when in-form Napoli come to town.

Luciano Spalletti’s side thumped Liverpool 4-1 in their Champions League opener while the Light Blues were blown away 4-0 by Ajax.

The Gli Azzurri visit Ibrox in a rich vein of form as they sit top of Serie A with four wins and two draws in their opening six league matches.

Former Rangers striker Marco Negri reckons Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men need to drastically improve how they defend set pieces if they are to defeat the Italians.

He said: “Napoli are very good at set pieces, especially corners. They are always changing and doing something special and it’s an area where Rangers are struggling a little bit. Concentration and the focus must be more than 100 per cent.

“Napoli right now is on fire. They had a stunning performance against Liverpool. Nobody would’ve expected such a result but they were the better team on the pitch, physically, technically and tactically. They really deserved the win then at the weekend they had a good victory with a last-minute goal.

“The wind is with the Napoli team right now. On the pitch, it’s a team that is well organised. They are the best team in Italy when they are building up the ball from the keeper so Rangers must be very aware if they are attacking them high because they can pass the ball well.

“They are really dangerous up front so if Rangers are leaving one vs one against Hirving Lozano, Matteo Politano or Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, they must be aware of those players.

“But they should not be afraid because it’s at Ibrox with the crowd being the 12th man, so everything is possible.”

Negri admits he was surprised at just how disjointed Rangers were in their opening game in Amsterdam and was scathing in his assessment.

He said: “I watched the game and the performance was poor.

“I think the manager, staff and players know that is not the standard. I was thinking that picking up just the first yellow card after 62 minutes means you are not trying.

“On the pitch, I was looking at the faces of the players and there was no joy. No joy to play for a great team like Rangers at the best level because the Champions League is at the top of your career so you must enjoy it.
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“The players have earned it with a great win against PSV so they should enjoy it and not be afraid or too worried. You can’t defend for 90 minutes. You must have courage and do something.

“In Italy, we say that if you fight you can lose but if you don’t fight you have already lost so you must do something and then anything on the pitch is accepted by the fans.

“But I think a Champions League game at Ibrox with the atmosphere back on the big stage after so many years can be the turning point. The crowd will push the players if they need something more.

“I fully understand that playing every three days is very highly demanding of the mind. Two games against PSV with so much joy after the game, you are spending a lot of mental energy. It’s not about physical energy, it’s about focus and I fully understand that it’s tough.

“But the players know when you are on the pitch nobody is going to help you apart from the crowd. I am 100 per cent sure that the crowd at Ibrox with the atmosphere will push the players in the right way. Don’t be afraid, just enjoy it.

“Napoli has a talented but young squad so I expect some of their legs will be shaking at Ibrox because that ground is something special. You don’t expect it.

“I think it could be tough for some players to go onto the pitch and see 50,000 Rangers fans. It must be something strange so it can be positive for the Rangers players and maybe take away some energy from the Napoli players.”