Ianis Hagi had to watch on from the sidelines when Rangers reached the Europa League Final in Seville.
But the Romanian playmaker has made it clear that he wants to avoid any such eventuality should Rangers return to Spain this season.
The Ibrox club secured safe passage to the Europa League last 16 where they will face one of four teams for a place in the quarter finals.
Rangers fans already have one eye on May’s Europa League Final in Bilbao and as the team get ready to Make Us Dream again, Ianis Hagi wants to be up front and centre.
Ianis Hagi eyes Europa League squad place
Ianis Hagi missed the Europa League Final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained at the turn of 2022.
It’s only now, three years later, that Hagi is beginning to get back to his best and after an exile at Rangers finds himself as a key component in Philippe Clement’s team.
Having been cast from the Rangers first-team for the first part of the season, Hagi is not a part of Rangers’ Europa League squad and was not able to contribute to the League Phase campaign.
But the 26-year-old Romanian playmaker does have his eye on the knockout rounds with Rangers free to make three changes to their squad ahead of the upcoming rounds.
“I’ve always enjoyed a European night and hopefully I can help the team in those nights as well and not only in domestic games,” Hagi told the press after scoring a double in the win over Ross County.
“It’s difficult when you don’t play at all. In any type of game, not only European games.
“I want to be on the pitch for a full 90 minutes. That’s my mentality. That’s what I’m focusing on.
“I’m probably speaking for every player in the dressing room. They want to be there as much as possible on the pitch. I think it goes without saying that I want to be there.“
Rangers building Europa League ‘momentum’
Hagi also had a word on that run to Seville which ended in heartbreak, with the midfielder playing a key role at Rangers up until injury decimated his season.
The Romanian has touched on the ‘momentum’ that carried Rangers to the final and Hagi reckons that same feeling is building in this season’s competition.
“I think that European run [to Seville] was fantastic considering how we started with the Alashkert game here,” Hagi said.
”Going down to 10 men after 40 minutes and still getting into the group stages. I think everybody did his own job back then.
“Obviously myself in the group stages. I got injured but I scored that goal away in Brondby which kept our chances alive to get out of the group stages and then everybody did his own job until the final.
“It’s definitely special when you get that momentum. I feel like we’re having that this season.
“You never know what can happen. We just have to take it game by game. Obviously a fantastic performance by the boys to put us in the top eight. So I’m looking forward to playing in the last 16, definitely.”
Rangers can make three changes to Europa League squad
Rangers can make three changes to the Europa League squad which managed to finish eighth in the League Phase this season.
At the same time, eight players must be registered as homegrown in Scotland, four of which need to be homegrown at Rangers.
Homegrown essentially means the player has been trained in either Scotland or at Rangers for three years before their 21st birthday.
Philippe Clement has some big decisions to make with space freed up by an injury to Neryasho Kasanwirjo and the exit of Kieran Dowell.
You would imagine Clinton Nsiala and then Ianis Hagi step into the squad to replace them but there are other options who face missing out.
New signing Rafael Fernandes is also not included in the Rangers Europa League squad and neither is Brazilian striker Danilo.
Given the lack of homegrown options at Rangers – only Liam Kelly, John Souttar, Connor Barron and Bailey Rice are registered – it will be a 21-man squad whatever happens.
Rangers could also opt to put Danilo into the squad in place of Kasanwirjo, whilst Clement does have the opportunity to swap out another player.
This means the club could choose to swap the injury-plagued Oscar Cortes with the Brazilian hitman.
Whatever happens, at least two of the club’s first-team stars will miss out.
Current Rangers Europa League squad
Goalkeepers
- Jack Butland
- Liam Kelly
- Lewis Budinauckas
Defenders
- James Tavernier
- Ridvan Yilmaz
- Robin Propper
- John Souttar
- Dujon Sterling
- Jefte
- Neraysho Kasanwirjo
- Leon Balogun
Midfielders
- Oscar Cortes
- Connor Barron
- Mohamed Diomande
- Nedim Bajrami
- Kieran Dowell
- Nicolas Raskin
- Bailey Rice
Forwards
- Cyriel Dessers
- Tom Lawrence
- Vaclav Cerny
- Hamza Igamane
