As Rangers head into their tie with Dutch side Willem II, they know that a potential tie with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split or Turkish giants Galatasaray awaits if they can win the tie.
The Gers will do well to leave Holland with a place in the next round, Willem II a youthful side full of goals who must be respected if we’re to escape the Netherlands with a shot at the Europa League.
But should we get there, there could be an extra dimension to our potential tie with Graeme Souness’ former side Galatasaray.
Whilst they’ll need to get past Hadjuk Split, should both Rangers and Galatasaray qualify Gers midfielder Ianis Hagi will take centre stage.
Not just because the midfielder is usually a big game player who shows up on these Europa League nights, but because his dad Gheorghe is a former player of the Aslanlar.
Romanian footballing legend Hagi spent five years in Istanbul with Galatasaray and finished his career with the Turkish giants.
Gheorghe played 192 games for Gala, netting 73 times for the Türk Telekom club, winning 10 trophies, including five Turkish Super Lig titles and a UEFA Cup in the year 2000.
The former midfielder is a club legend and Galatasaray hero and should both the Gers and the Turks make the next round his 21-year-old son – who was born in Istanbul – is set to take centre-stage.
Should the tie come to fruition, let’s hope a Hagi is breaking Turkish hearts in the UEFA/Europa League instead of filling them with European joy.
