As Rangers prepare to welcome Swedish Champions Malmo to Ibrox as part of their Champions League date with destiny, they’re also welcoming back one of the club’s key players.
Ianis Hagi might’ve been quietly effective last season, finishing the Scottish Premiership’s top assister, but there’s a growing feeling that this is going to be the Romanian’s year.
At one stage one of the most highly-rated European footballing talents around, at 22 there is still plenty of time for Hagi to realise his undoubted potential.
At Ibrox, we’ve seen it plenty of times, but it’s on the European stage, with a stadium rocking to its very core, that Ianis first announced himself as a Rangers player.
That night against Braga – where Hagi’s double and his subsequent “Ibrox, baby” are the stuff of legend – very much felt like this talented young star’s stage.
With a reported £40m on the line should Rangers fail to make these group stages, it could be Hagi once again who proves priceless for the Ibrox club.
The Romanian got our season underway with an immensely composed finish in the 3-0 win over Livingston before a hatchet man challenge had him subbed off by half time.
That was then consolidated with an injury in the warm-up to the first leg of the Malmo tie, which Rangers would go on to lose 2-1.
Hagi would then miss the weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Dundee United as his creativity and ability continue to be a big miss to this side.
Now, Steven Gerrard had confirmed the attacking midfielder is once again available for selection alongside the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Leon Balogun and Fashion Sakala.
“We were pretty limited last week but more positive now,” said Gerrard [Rangers].
“Hagi returns to the squad, Balogun is fit and available, Sakala is fit and will be involved in the squad as is Alfredo.
“A real positive update. Only [Nikola] Katic, [Ryan] Jack and the suspensions missing.”
Whilst those returning names bring their own level of excitement, the stage is set for Ianis Hagi to harness the history of Braga and leave his mark on the Champions League for Rangers.
The Gers have also announced a major stadium change ahead of the return of supporters which has been implemented as part of a club partnership.
