Rangers played Club Brugge in a pre-season friendly in early July but Martin said neither side can take much from that 2-2 draw and he is right. Both teams will look markedly different at the same venue on Tuesday night.
Nicky Hayen’s side may have failed to defend their Belgian Pro League title, losing out by three points to Union Saint-Gilloise last term, but they reached the last 16 of last season’s Champions League before losing 6-1 on aggregate to Aston Villa.
It is a feat they have managed twice in the past three seasons, having been in the group or league phase for seven of the past nine campaigns overall. Their pedigree at this level is clear.
This summer, though, Brugge sold midfielder Ardon Jashari to AC Milan for around £25m, while left-back Maxim De Cuyper and winger Chemsdine Talbi joined Brighton and Sunderland in multi-million pound deals.
Arguably their star man, Greece international winger Christos Tzolis, has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, but is in the travelling party to Scotland.
That is a big boost for Brugge, as their wide men are key threats. Along with Tzolis down the left, Carlos Forbs caused havoc down the right in the last round against Salzburg, and got on the scoresheet in the 3-2 home win.
The Portuguese speedster was on loan at Wolves last season and his directness is imposing, along with Tzolis and new signing Mamdou Diakhon from Stade Reims, who could make his debut.
Veteran midfielder and captain Hans Vanaken has come up with big moments in the Champions League regularly for Brugge, and is good for a goal and assists from midfield.
This Brugge side are young and far from unbeatable. But to take a healthy advantage into the away leg – as Rangers have done in the past two rounds – it will take comfortably the best performance of Martin’s short tenure.