STEVEN GERRARD insists Rangers will be fully up to speed with their European adversaries ahead of their return to competitive action this month.

The Ibrox boss has spent recent days working with his players at a training camp in the Algarve as he steps up his preparations for the new campaign.

Rangers face Prishtina of Kosovo or Gibraltarians St Joseph's in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier on July 11.

Gerrard guided his side into the group stages at the first attempt last term and will leave no stone unturned ahead of another crack at continental competition.

He told RangersTV: “The ball is already rolling in terms of getting information on both teams who we could possibly be playing, so that has already started.

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“In terms of pitch preparation, we will wait to see what we are going to be facing, otherwise we would be wasting time as we are not sure who we are going to be playing.

“We will be well-drilled in terms of the information we have got on them like we were with Shkupi last year – it will be a huge game for us as European qualification is very important.

"I don’t like making predictions. I think it is very naive to make predictions, but it is key we continue to press and improve.

“I think we have taken giant strides forward from where we were 12 months ago, but the last bit is always the hardest to become winners.

“Everyone needs to be focused and everyone needs to contribute from an individual point of view. We will be better in terms of the 11 in the squad moving forward, and if everyone in the squad is as hungry and ambitious as we are as a staff and the supporters are, I’m sure we’ll be fine.

“The players are the ones who have to go out and deliver over the course of the season to try and go out and go one better than they did last year.”