The sale of Danilo to Rangers has left Feyenoord forward Igor Paixao feeling as if he has lost his footballing brother with the Eredivisie champion now leading the line at Ibrox instead.
It’s been the story of Danilo’s Rangers career so far. A brief moment of positivity, followed by a set-back.
The £6 million summer signing fractured his cheekbone while banging a header into the St Johnstone net on Saturday and, as a result, will be denied the chance to build on what could have been a ‘coming of age’ moment as a Rangers player during tonight’s Europa League opener against Real Betis.
Igor Paixao, Danilo’s former team-mate and close friend, endured his own European frustrations this week. The Feyenoord winger had a penalty saved by Joe Hart during Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over nine-man Celtic, having already seen Danilo join the Hoops goalkeeper in Glasgow.
Rangers signed Danilo from Dutch champions Feyenoord
“(Danilo) was crucial to my adjustment here the first season,” Paixao tells the Feyenoord Website; Rangers’ number 99 taking a fellow Brazilian under his wing at De Kuip.
“He knew the Netherlands, and spoke the language. He really felt like a brother to me. What he has done for me and my family is almost indescribable. I am extremely grateful to him,” Paixao adds, via Voetbal Primeur.
“It’s a shame that he left for the Scottish league. I miss him, of course. But life goes the way it goes, so does football.
“Everyone goes their own way.”
Danilo – who’s tally of nine goals in his first 10 Eredivisie games on loan with FC Twente bettered a tally set by the legendary Ronaldo at PSV – has showcased only a few tantalising glimpses of his potential at Ibrox.
That St Johnstone header was his third goal in ten games for Mick Beale’s side.
Danilo will be out until mid-October
“I saw Danilo (on Wednesday),” Beale tells Rangers Review, confirming that the striker will be unavailable for Real Betis alongside Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell.
“He still looks sore if I am honest. He had successful surgery on the areas; it’s not just one area impacted. I think he’ll be back in non-contact training around the back end of the international window (next month).
“Ideally, he will be back the first week after the October internationals, but it might be a couple of weeks after. We will just have to see. He has another consultancy in two weeks.”
