Benfica boss raves about Rangers player who’s ‘like Gerd Muller’ ahead of EL clash
Benfica boss Jorge Jesus described Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos as “very dangerous” ahead of their Europa League clash on Thursday.
Both sides have won their opening two matches in Group D, with Morelos bagging his record-equalling 21st European goal for the club against Lech Poznan at Ibrox last week.
Morelos has scored 46 Scottish Premiership goals in 94 appearances since arriving from Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi in 2017 and the Benfica boss is clearly an admirer.
“The striker is very well-known,” Jesus said (via Daily Record)
“He’s a Colombian who doesn’t have much of a playing style, he doesn’t have an elegant aesthetic, but he’s very dangerous. He’s got that style like Gerd Muller.”
An enigma
The 24-year-old can be devastating at his very best, but does not appear to have quite yet hit his stride this season.
With just three goals from 10 Scottish Premiership appearances, he has seen Jermain Defoe and Kemar Roofe preferred to him from the start, while his winner against Poznan was his first of the Europa League group stage.
With 3.2 shots per game in the league, he is still finding himself in shooting positions more often than any other Gers player, but the Colombian is yet to reach his top goalscoring form.
Speculation over a summer move away could be playing some part in his slow start to the season, but Gerrard would be advised to stick with a player that can be so deadly.
Rangers have not scored more than two goals in a match since their 5-1 demolition of Motherwell in September, and Morelos can help them re-find their devastating best.
In other Rangers news, Ryan Gould says what Rangers fans can take heart from ahead of clash v Benfica