Danny Rohl has stressed the importance of his Rangers team maintaining their winning momentum ahead of facing Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday. 

Rangers welcome the Bulgarian champions to Ibrox having won their last six games in all competitions, the latest seeing them thrash Annan Athletic 5-0 in the Scottish Cup.

However, their hopes of snatching a play-off place remain slim heading into their penultimate league phase match, having taken just one point from their first six matches. 

Indeed, Rangers are winless in their last nine Europa League matches (D2 L7) since a 3-1 win over Fenerbahce last March.

In major European competition, the Gers last went 10 without a win between April 2008 and September 2010, and they currently sit 33rd in the 36-team standings. 

"At first, we enjoyed six wins in a row, and the other part is that we need to value every win," Rohl said. "There was a time not long ago when a win was not normal for us.

"It's great at the moment to see this run. It's also the reason why tomorrow we go with a strong starting lineup in this game, and hopefully we can continue on the weekend.

"It's a competition where we haven't won so far. I think that is our challenge tomorrow, to win our first game in this competition. It's also important that we keep the momentum."

Ludogorets, meanwhile, are in the mix to finish in the play-off spots, with Per-Mathias Hogmo's side 23rd on seven points, level with Rangers' Old Firm rivals Celtic. 

This is Ludogorets' first European encounter with a Scottish side – their six games against British teams in major competition have all been against English opposition (D1 L5), conceding at least twice in all six.

Rangers last faced a Bulgarian side in major European competition in the 1966-67 Cup Winners' Cup semi-final, beating Slavia Sofia 1-0 in both legs to reach the final.

Despite qualification to the knockout phase play-off round being almost mathematically beyond the Gers, Rohl insisted he won't be taking the challenge lightly.

"It's important that we start tomorrow to get more points on the table, and we know next week we also face a strong opponent," Rohl added. 

"Between this week, we still have an important league game, and I think it's step by step at the moment. I won't rest so many players for tomorrow. We will go with a strong group.

"This point is very important for us. We need to be successful in the league, otherwise it's not a topic for us.

"We have 16 games in the league, two games in Europe, and four cup games hopefully to go. And if we get a lot of points in this, then we will have a good summer."