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Rangers have been warned that belgrade’s red star will arrive in Glasgow on Thursday with two players who would give entry to almost each and every premier league team.
Aleksandar Katai and Mirko Ivanic scored 38 goals from their forward positions in midfield and were known as the biggest risk to Gio van Bronckhorst’s hopes of progress in the Europa League.
After resisting a barrage of talent from Borussia Dortmund, adding Jude Bellingham, Marco Reus and Thorgan Hazard to secure a monumental victory in the final round, Rangers proved they can combine it with the best.
But they will have to return to their defensive game when the Serbs arrive in Govan on Thursday, according to Red Star expert Marko Nikolovske, who says Dejan Stankovic’s side are once again capable of Europe, 3 decades after their most important moment.
Speaking to Record Sport, the former Red Star journalist and head of public relations said: “Red Star has a very competitive European club, capable of winning big matches.
“They don’t play the beautiful football of the 1990-91 European Cup winning team, but it’s competitive football. It’s an experienced aspect and anything is possible. “
“They respect the Rangers. I’m sure they will perform well at Ibrox, but if that’s enough to get a result. . . we’ll see. “
“Katai and Ivanic are two players.
“Both can play in the morning of the Premier League. Maybe outside the gates of City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
“Katai plays on the left wing but cuts in the middle. He has a lot of goals – 23 this season – and he heers his call and likes to come as a plan of attack at the moment with a lot of cooperation with Ivanic, Guelor Kanga and whoever. “he plays as a striker.
“He’s like the MVP player in football. The only thing is that he is a defender! But he doesn’t want to be.
“If he plays as he can on Thursday, Rangers enthusiasts will see him play. He does a lot of things while running with the ball.
“But he, if you locate a smart defender to keep an eye on him for 90 minutes, then he can be cut off.
“Ivanic is for Katai, smart with the ball and locating spaces, smart assists and if he has the possibility to shoot from afar, he will. He has height but is very fast and an intelligent runner with the ball.
“Katai and Ivanic switch sides during matches.
“Also on the left is Rodic, which we can call the third star in that array.
“He’s very offensive and he also has a wonderful defense. If he has a project to stay in defence because, for example, the Rangers right winger has to be defended, he’s going to do a wonderful job. “
“Then, of course, there is Aleksandar Dragovic, a star at the European Championships for Austria.
“He’s an incredible figure in defence.
“Most enthusiasts are satisfied with this draw because the Rangers are a great call-up and because of the history we have with them from 1990 to 2007.
“The only big sadness is that enthusiasts can’t go in large numbers to Glasgow because of the corona visas. Many need to go.
“They would have had 2000 without a problem. Instead, they will only have between 20 and 50 enthusiasts living in Europe and can do so more easily.
Red Star is in the midst of a fierce two-way battle with bitter rivals Partizan, as are the Rangers in the Premiership.
Lately they are two numbers away from their neighbors.
And Nikolovske insists that protecting his name is the priority over the good fortune of the Europa League.
He said: “Becoming serbian champion is the ultimate.
“Playing big games in Europe will bring out the most productive of course. This is a wonderful opportunity.
“But if you ask what’s more important, they’ll tell you the championship.
“The war with Partizan is very much like that of Rangers and Celtic in Glasgow!
“It doesn’t last that long but it’s very fierce!”