Rangers injury boost as duo unscathed with Gers short in two positions

Add as preferred source on Google

Rangers will be counting their lucky chickens as two of the club’s key first-team players appear to come through the international break unscathed with the club thin on the ground in two positions.

Croatian defender Borna Barisic and Nigerian international Leon Balogun will certainly be needed in the weeks to come after the SFA finally handed down their punishment to the Covid Five.

Gers left-back Calvin Bassey might not have been seen in 2020, but he is the leading deputy to Borna, and had the Croatian full-back picked up a knock-on international duty this would present a major problem.

As it stands – and whilst Borna featured in all three matches for Croatia as they kick off their World Cup Qualifying campaign – Barisic is heading back to Glasgow unscathed.

The ex-NK Osijek captain also sent an emphatic message to Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic as he responded to being dropped by coming off the bench to change the game against Malta.

Barisic whipped a superb cross into the six-yard box to find Ivan Perisic and kick off the scoring in the second half of an eventual 3-0 win.

https://twitter.com/InterComps2/status/1377024750325760005

Similarly, Leon Balogun impressed on international duty with Nigeria and the 32-year-old centre-back may once again be asked to deputise at right-back in the coming weeks.

As it stands Rangers captain James Tavernier is still in recovery from injury and it is not clear just how far along he is in this regard ahead of the final furlong of the season.

Back-up right-back Nathan Patterson has deputised well in the skipper’s absence but alongside Bassey, he will be missing for the next four matches through suspension.

Balogun has deputised at right-back in the past and is very much a makeshift option in the position but with the Gers light, the Nigerian international could be called upon in the weeks to come.

The defender put in some impressive performances for the Super Eagles and took to Instagram after the game to celebrate as Nigeria qualified for the African Cup of Nations next year.

But whilst as it stands it appears that Balogun and Barisic have come through the international break unscathed, one Rangers star sat out his country’s last game through illness.