The Gers must win in order to progress to the knockout stages of the competition

Rapid Vienna have hired a club priest a week before their Europa League showdown with Rangers.

Steven Gerrard’s men will travel to Austria knowing a victory in the capital will take them to the knockout stages.

Rangers beat Rapid Vienna at Ibrox earlier in the season

In order to lead them through to the promised land, the club have hired a priest to offer divine inspiration.

Father Christoph Pelczar is a football-mad Polish priest who recently published a book all about his love of God and football, titled Glaube. Liebe. Rapid (Belief, Love, Rapid).

The book details his conversations with squad members and is available for a whopping £17.50.

Father Pelczar recently arranged for the players to have a private audience with the Pope.

Steven Gerrard will be hoping the appointment does not stop his side from progressing

He said: “Rapid can absolutely be a religion. There are similar rituals of hymns, songs and advents.

“Religion has to offer solutions. There is a search for something greater, and it is not blasphemy for me to say so.”

One of the players helped by the clergyman is midfielder Dejan Ljubicic, who was caught drunkenly hurling beer bottles at a mosque last December.

The 21-year-old said: “Father Christoph gave me the strength to rise up again. I was on the floor after making a huge mistake.

“He gave me the power to prove myself, and show that I am a good person.”