Sparta Prague coach Brian Priske expects Danilo to potentially be Rangers’ difference maker during Thursday’s Europa League clash at Ibrox.
After coming within a lick of paint away from the winner after coming off the bench in the Czech capital a fortnight ago, Danilo should be fit enough to start during the return fixture.
And that is cause for a headache Priske could do without.
Injuries might have limited his involvement since that £5 million move from Feyenoord over the summer but, after returning to action following a fractured cheekbone, Danilo has set about showing what all the fuss is about, repaying his price-tag with a series of highly-promising displays.
He scored a stoppage time winner at home to Hearts before netting one and setting up another during the 5-0 dashing of Dundee, Rangers’ finest and most complete performance of the entire campaign.
Danilo in form for Rangers
“It is difficult to evaluate improvement from a distance,” Priske, the one-time Portsmouth man, says in quotes reported by the Daily Record. “But we looked at it and Rangers have played some good games.
“They have also got some players back from injury. Danilo will definitely be a handful.”
Sparta Prague need no introduction to Danilo’s fellow forward Abdallah Sima, meanwhile. Sima made his name at capital city neighbours Slavia, and the boos which serenaded his every touch during that 0-0 draw in late-October is testament to the impact he made on Czech football.
Sparta Prague travel to Ibrox
“I still think that Abdallah Sima is a good player, and caused us some issues and some problems (last time out),” Priske adds.
“So we know it is going to be a tough fight for us, a tough atmosphere, so we will try to prepare the boys as good as we can and focus on some of the things we did well in the first game and also on some of the things we need to improve on in a game like this from a defensive perspective.”
Rangers have won only one of three group-stage games so far, but remain just two points off Real Betis in top spot.
