Rangers manager Russell Martin has confirmed that striker Cyriel Dessers could play a part in Wednesday’s crucial UCL second leg clash against Belgian side Club Brugge.
Dessers, 30, was forced off in the second half of Rangers’ 2-1 defeat to Viktoria Plzen earlier this month and was pictured to leave the stadium in braces.
The Scottish side would go ahead to secure a 4-2 aggregate victory over the Czech side, after a 3-0 first leg advantage.
The Super Eagles forward scored once and provided one assist in the reverse win over Plzen in Scotland.
Speaking ahead of the second leg clash in Belgium, Martin confirmed the availability of the Nigerian striker, who missed the Gers 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge in the first leg of their playoffs tie.
“I think it happens in football, but I’ll go back to Cyriel again. He’s working really hard to get fit, but he’s not there yet; he’ll probably be fit for Wednesday”, Martin said.
Rangers head into the second leg clash at the Jan Breydel Stadium, hoping to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg and qualify for the group stages of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.
Romeo Vermant took control of a defensive mixup to give Brugge an early lead at Ibrox, before Jorne Spileers swept in a second for the Belgian side.
Brandon Mechele compounded Rangers’ woes with a third inside the first 20 minutes, before the hosts pulled one back in the second half through Danilo.
“Dessers is here and good to go back in the squad. I’m excited about the game. I think we have a real chance to come and attack”, Martin confirmed.
The striker’s potential return comes as a welcome development for the Rangers boss, after a rocky start to his career at the Scottish side.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
