Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Robbie Copeland

Ianis Hagi's ambitious Rangers injury return date revealed as chuffed dad Gheorghe tells all

Gheorghe Hagi reckons Rangers have every chance of making the Europa League final in Seville.

And he's revealed his son Ianis has promised to be fit for the May 18 showpiece if the Ibrox side do get there.

Hagi Jr was ruled out for the season by Gio van Bronckhorst after picking up a serious knee injury in January.

In his absence, Van Bronckhorst has led Gers on a European fairytale, eliminating Borussia Dortmund and Red Star Belgrade to reach the quarter-finals.

Braga stand in their way now of a last four place against either Atalanta or RB Leipzig and they are daring to dream of going all the way.

Hagi Sr, who won the UEFA Cup with Galatasaray back in 2000, reckons they can do it.

And he says if they do make it all the way to the final, his son has vowed to be back for it despite his injury troubles.

He told Sport Arena : 0"After eliminating Dortmund, Rangers have a very good chance. I see the same run as we had with Galatasaray.

"It's the fourth year since Gerrard has built a very good, winning team that has never lost in the league. After that, in Europe the wins didn't come, but now I see that this year they have continuity and very good results.

"If they got past Dortmund, they have the ability to play in the final. Ianis told me that he will play the Final. There are still two strong teams, Barcelona and Lyon, who are on the other side."

An emotional Gheorghe went on saying how proud he is of his son for the way he has handled the setback.

He added: "I've come to say I'm proud of Ianis. He's grown up, he's been through everything, he's succeeded in a tough football. He became the best player in a team that won the championship without losing and is respected at Rangers. He was declared the best young player.

"Everybody is excited about him, how he performs and what a value he is. He's had bad luck, the hazard of the job. He went to a clinic in Holland, very good professionals. The club provided him with that. We hope he recovers very quickly. He's confident.

"Ianis has a very good quality. If you tell him to do something once, he does it twice. You don't have to push him. He's very focused and loves his job. He understands that he has to work and I'm glad he's doing well. He's reached a good European level. He represents Romania well, in every way. Both on and off the pitch."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.