Rangers ‘work on Aasgaard return’ in Russell Martin admission pre-Panathinaikos
Russell Martin faces Panathinaikos in the Champions League second qualifying round on Tuesday in his first test at Rangers.
Russell Martin’s team will welcome the Greek outfit on 22 July in the first leg as both teams look to make further progress in the competition.
The Gers’ new summer signing Thelo Aasgaard will be missing at Ibrox after picking up a minor knock.
After draws against Club Brugge and Barnsley during pre-season, it will be interesting to see who the Scottish manager decides start against the Greens
Aasgard only injury concern for Rangers v Panathinaikos
Aasgaard is the only injury concern for the Gers ahead of their fixture against Panathinaikos, Martin says.
The Scottish manager revealed that the Light Blues don’t have any other fitness issues at Ibrox apart from the Norwegian midfielder.
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Championship | 17 | 2 | 1 |
Martin has hailed the Bears’ efforts in keeping the squad intact during pre-season as he prepares to face the Greek outfit.
Speaking to the media, as relayed by the Glaswegian outfit on X (21 July), the 39-year-old head coach said: “[Aasgaard] is the only injury concern; our great medical team is working really hard to get him back. To come through pre-season with only one injury concern is really good, and it is a collaborative effort.”
https://x.com/RangersFC/status/1947310153365123310Martin needs win against Panathinaikos amid fan unrest at Ibrox
It feels like Martin already needs a victory against Panathinaikos to prove that he’s the right person to lead the Gers.
The supporters in G51 have seen years of turmoil, and while the US consortium’s takeover will be encouraging, they will want to see signs of improvement immediately.
Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises have backed the former Southampton head coach so far this summer, signing the likes of Max Aarons, Joe Rothwell and Nasser Djiga.
Rangers have also bought Emmanuel Fernandez from Peterborough United and Aasgaard from Luton Town.
The Scottish manager still has Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers at his disposal despite an apparent interest in their signature.
With Kevin Thelwell addressing the Gers’ defensive concerns from last season, hopefully, Martin will be able to build a solid foundation at Ibrox.
The Scottish manager has a massive test on his hands on Tuesday and the Light Blues’ display will surely be scrutinised by fans.
Sign up for the Ibrox News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Rangers news sent straight to your phone.