When Rangers kicked off against Aberdeen at Pittodrie there was full focus on the players that Barry Ferguson had selected for the Scottish Premiership clash.
By full time the focus of Rangers fans had shifted to who didn’t play in the game ahead of the Europa League trip to face Athletic Club.
Ferguson made nine changes to the Rangers team for the clash with the Dons and the Rangers squad certainly looked makeshift in nature as the club fell two goals behind.
Whilst Rangers would stage yet another comeback v Aberdeen, Barry Ferguson admitted that there are several players who are big injury doubts for the trip to Spain.
With Rangers facing fitness fears over ‘three or four’ players, Ferguson has certainly heightened nerves ahead of the Europa League quarter final second leg.
But by our calculations there are as many as five players who are now touch-and-go for the trip to Bilbao.
Five players are injury doubts for Rangers trip to Athletic Club
The most prominent name that Rangers fans are chewing their fingernails over is Czech international winger Vaclav Cerny.
Cerny has been crucial in the Europa League for Rangers this season but was not in the matchday squad for the trip to Pittodrie.
Needless to say that if Rangers were to lose the Wolfsburg loanee, it would be a huge dent to the club’s chances of victory in Spain.
Nicolas Raskin has also been a key player in Europe this season and the Belgian midfielder was not involved in the clash with Aberdeen.
But Raskin was pictured remonstrating with some Dons fans at full-time after Ianis Hagi had curled in a spectacular equaliser.
There was also no sign of Ridvan Yilmaz in the clash against Aberdeen, the Turkish international another who has been involved in the Europa League this season.
With Dujon Sterling suffering an Achilles injury, Yilmaz is an option to start at right-back with James Tavernier moving to the RCB role in a back three.
Bailey Rice was stretchered off in the first leg of Rangers v Athletic Club and despite making a recovery, was not involved against the Dons.
Leon Balogun missed the clash with Aberdeen and the veteran Nigerian international defender is a cool head for the big occasion.
Barry Ferguson wants Rangers to ‘go to war’ in Europa League bid
Despite the injury challenges, Barry Ferguson wants his Rangers team to stand up and be counted against Athletic Club in Spain.
But the Rangers manager has admitted he will not take unnecessary risks with Ferguson asking his team to and ‘go to war’ against Athletic Club.
”If somebody is touch and go I’m not going to risk them because I need people who are ready to go to war basically,” Ferguson told BBC Sport.
”Because what an opportunity this is not just for the players but the club to hopefully get into the semi-finals.”
