Hibernian defender Rafa Sallinger expressed confidence ahead of his team’s Scottish Premiership match against Rangers on Sunday, aiming to secure their first league victory of the season. The Hibees, managed by David Gray, have recently enjoyed positive results at Ibrox, winning two of their last three visits to Rangers, including a 2-1 victory in May during what was Danny Rohl’s final home game as Rangers manager.

After a disappointing opening day loss to Motherwell, Hibernian’s morale improved following a narrow win over Shkendija in the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round first leg on Thursday. Sallinger emphasized the importance of building on that momentum as they prepare to face Rangers, who remain favorites under new manager Derek McInnes.

“We want to go on and kick start the season against Rangers today. Rangers are only focused on ourselves and we trust our abilities,” Sallinger said.

He acknowledged Hibernian’s recent performances had shown promise despite earlier setbacks. “The good thing is we are on top in games and creating chances. If we keep playing like that we will score more goals. At our highest level, we are a very good side. We should have beaten Motherwell and, against Shkendija, we created a lot of chances and found a way to win,” he added.

Sallinger pointed to the team’s attacking efforts in the midweek European match, noting they dominated play but struggled to convert opportunities. “We were on top all match and should have scored three or four. But we found a way to win and it was important to have a positive result to take into the next game,” he said.

The defender also highlighted his personal ambition and the confidence gained from recent trips to Glasgow. “I’m ambitious in every game and want to help the team win... Recent visits to Glasgow were pretty good for us and we are full of confidence after Thursday,” Sallinger remarked.

With Rangers undergoing significant squad changes under McInnes, Hibernian’s relative squad continuity under Gray could be advantageous. “Maybe we are more compact as we have played together for a longer time,” Sallinger suggested.

He also stressed the tactical approach Hibernian will need to adopt against a favored Rangers side. “Rangers will be favourites and we’ll have to defend well and keep the game open as long as we can. We have to use all of the chances we can get,” he said as Hibernian look to build on their early season form.