Rangers linked Boca Juniors winger Luca Langoni proved he’s got the bottle for the Old Firm battle as he came off the bench against Superclasico rivals River Plate.
There are few derbies which can match the Rangers v Celtic clash in Glasgow for intensity, tenacity and fanaticism but the clash between these two Buenos Aires clubs is legendary.
With the latest match between the two sides taking place in River Plate’s revamped 85k seater Estadio Monumental – without a single Boca Juniors fan in sight – Luca Langoni started on the bench.
The young 22-year-old Argentine winger – who was linked to Rangers in January – had been a doubt for the match due to an injury sustained earlier in the week.
Luca Langoni plays in River Plate v Boca Juniors
As a result of the injury, Luca Langoni started on the bench and any Rangers fans who caught the match had to wait to the 66th minute when the winger replaced Edison Cavani.
Langoni was also on the pitch when Boca Juniors equalised in the match, Christian Medina cancelling out Pablo Solari’s 49th minute opener just four minutes after the winger was introduced.
Whilst the game would go on to finish 1-1, at least Rangers fans know that the winger would have the bottle for the battle with Old Firm rivals Celtic.
The Superclasico is certainly one of football’s most intense matches and Boca Juniors winger Luca Langoni will have done his burgeoning reputation no harm in the draw with River Plate.
It’s a match which isn’t for the faint hearted – just take a look below at the scenes when both teams took to the field:
Rangers-linked winger has £13m release clause
Whilst Rangers were linked with a move for Luca Langoni in January, some developments around the reports will catch the eye of Ibrox fans.
The Gers aren’t the only side said to have been monitoring the attacker, with OGC Nice, Fulham, and Sevilla also credited with an interest.
Italian giants AS Roma have also been tipped to sign the 22-year-old, whilst reports linking Benfica claim Luca Langoni has an eye-watering release clause of €15m (£13m).
Whilst that fee would all but rule Rangers out of the running, the Ibrox club might also have moved onto the other targets.
Namely, the Gers signed RC Lens winger Oscar Cortes on loan until the end of the season with the Colombian’s early form already pointing to Rangers activating the option-to-buy attached to the deal.
Rangers have revamped their recruitment process in the summer with reports suggesting the club will be targeting emerging markets such as Scandinavia and South America on a “priority” basis.
Luca Langoni has made 52 appearances for Boca Juniors, scoring 10 goals since coming through the club’s Academy.
