Rangers are set to face off against Arsenal and Liverpool linked Braga winger Ricardo Horta, with the Portuguese attacker cited as the club’s main threat.
The attacking midfielder turned forward has been on electric form for the Portuguese side and his performances have been a huge part of their campaign on domestic and continental soil.
So far this season club captain Ricardo Horta has scored 19 goals this season – including 15 in the Primeira Liga – and has added nine assists for Braga.
Horta even scored one of the most important goals of the club’s campaign, as his Europa League strike in the 2-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol levelled proceedings and forced the tie to penalties.
Ricardo Horta has also played Rangers before, the attacker playing in the second leg, a 1-0 defeat, in the 4-2 Braga aggregate loss to the Gers in 2020.
An intelligent, creative and dynamic attacker, the winger’s performances have not gone unnoticed with rumours appearing in January regarding a potential move to the Premier League.
These have not been completely clarified by anywhere reputable – the story appearing to begin in a dubious online publication in Spain before being picked up elsewhere – but they stand as evidence of the attacker’s progress.
Braga star Ricardo Horta “destined” to play at the top claims former Rangers rival
Once of Malaga in La Liga, former Hearts boss Paolo Sergio has also been talking up the forward and believes he is destined for the very top of the game.
“Ricardo Horta is a player destined for the top leagues,” claims Sergio [Daily Record].
“He can score in every game – he’s a very good player and the big teams are already speaking about him.
“I don’t know what value you’d price him at but the biggest teams in Portugal are watching him closely and everybody agrees he should be in the national team.
“I also know teams from Spain are looking at him too.
“He went to La Liga with Malaga very early in his career but maybe he wasn’t yet prepared for that.
“Now, however, I think he’s in a fantastic moment.
“These games against Rangers are a great chance for him to show those big clubs what he can do. I think he’s going to do his best to show his name to the world.”
Ricardo Horta won’t be the only major threat facing Rangers in the Europa League quarter final tie, with ex-Barca talent Abel Ruiz and Brazilian defender Yan Couto also highly-rated outside of Braga.
Rangers are also eyeing an impressive £10.8m jackpot should they manage to overcome Braga in the Europa League.
