Philippe Clement faces critical Rangers dilemma for Viaplay Cup final v Aberdeen after fresh Jose Cifuentes blow
Philippe Clement is gearing up for his most important game as Rangers boss so far but his plans have been severely blighted by several absences with yet another new one this past week.
The Gers are fresh off their absorbing 3-2 thriller with the Spanish La Liga outfit Real Betis on Thursday (14 December) to top the group and progress to the competition’s last 16 which takes place in March.
Goals from Abdallah Sima, Cyriel Dessers and a late winner from Kemar Roofe ensured picked up their first-ever away victory over a Spanish team as they kept up their impressive unbeaten record under Clement.
The win on Thursday night (14 December) certainly encapsulates the tremendous progress made under the Belgian coach who has yet to taste defeat as manager at Ibrox since his appointment in October – it is now 10 wins and three draws from his 13 games in charge, a stunning feat.
However, the Gers will certainly be embarking on their most crucial game of recent memory when they take on Aberdeen in the ViaPlay Cup final on Sunday (17 December) where their 13-game unbeaten run will be under its most testing threat.
The Dons are riding high after their European exploits, having beaten German Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday also in a comfortable and shock 2-0 win.
Clement certainly needs no reminders as to the quality their opponents pose having restricted Rangers to a hard-fought draw on 26 November.
However, whatever plans the Belgian had for Sunday’s final showpiece have been blown out of the window with so many absences currently in his squad and yet another fresh one on Jose Cifuentes.
The SFA announced on Tuesday (12 December) that Rangers were unsuccessful in their attempt to get Cifuentes’ dismissal against Dundee United last weekend overturned.
The Ecuador international will now miss Sunday’s Viaplay Cup final clash with Aberdeen, as well as the Scottish Premiership meeting with St Johnstone.
And this fresh blow now leaves Clement without seven first-team players with Cifuentes joining Nicolas Raskin, Danilo, Ryan Jack, Steven Davies, Scott Wright, Tom Lawrence and possibly Todd Cantwell absent from Sunday and casting doubt over the strength of their squad and whether they will be at the top of their game for the final.
While those absences are a huge blow to Clement, it is certainly much of a bigger one that most of those players out is arguably the most important role in Clement’s system at Ibrox which is midfield.
Rangers now have just John Lundstram as their only fit and available midfield player for Sunday’s game at Hampden Park leaving Clement with an almighty dilemma.
The former Monaco man utilised fringe player Dujon Sterling in an unfamiliar midfield role in his last two cameos against Dundee and Betis and the right-back certainly impressed but that doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to play 90 minutes in the role on Sunday.
Whatever Clement decides on Sunday, it could well be make or break in what is the club’s biggest game of the season so far. Critical.
In other Rangers news, Tavernier and Goldson were both said to be shocked by the behaviour of Beale during preseason.