Nicolas Raskin out of Rangers v Real Betis Europa League clash as injuries stack up
Rangers will be without Nicolas Raskin, Todd Cantwell, Kieran Dowell and Danilo for the Europa League group stage clash with Real Betis.
Raskin has suffered a calf problem and will be out until after the international break, while Danilo will also be out until next month after undergoing surgery for the facial injury picked up when scoring against St Johnstone.
Cantwell and Dowell were previously ruled out for between 3/4 weeks with knee injuries and remain unavailable ahead of the clash at Ibrox.
“Nico Raskin is out with a calf problem – Raskin, Cantwell and Danilo will be missing,” Beale said.
“We still have options in midfield – we are losing a good player but we have good ones coming in.
“Danilo has had a successful surgery on the areas impacted. He will be back in non-contact training come the end of the international break.”
Blow
That is a crushing blow for Rangers to be without such key players in the business end of the season.
Michael Beale knows he is battling against the nay-sayers for his job and the win over St Johnstone, while a good result, didn’t deliver the performance that many would have been hoping for.
Cantwell’s absence was expected and Dowell isn’t in the European squad of course, while everyone that saw Danilo’s sickening collision would have expected him to be out.
But Raskin has established himself as such a top player and key member of the squad and team that his absence will really be felt.
It’s a great opportunity for Tom Lawrence and Jose Cifuentes to establish themselves in the squad now going forward, and Beale needs them to step up and perform.
This is why he wanted such a big squad and now he has to show that the players he has around the place are good enough to play on the big nights when called upon.
In other Rangers news, Pundit moots position change for Gers ace after what he saw v St Johnstone.