The timing of the injury couldn’t be worse…
Rangers will attempt to hang onto the top spot in the Scottish Premiership and make it past Benfica in the Europa League as the games pick up speed and fury once more. It’s undoubtedly easier said than done, though, particularly in light of Philippe Clement’s most recent injury update.
Rangers injury updates
Given the extensive list of injuries the Gers already have, Clement’s latest efforts to pass Celtic at the top of the league are all the more remarkable. Rangers were expected to be without as many as five players before their next match against Motherwell even before the most recent update.
Rangers cannot afford to make even one mistake in the coming weeks, as Celtic leads them by just two points in the Scottish Premiership. But it could get harder and harder for the Gers if their injury list gets longer and their schedule gets fuller.
Even worse, Clement revealed that Oscar Cortes had sustained a muscle injury against Kilmarnock and would not know when he would be able to play again.
The former AS Monaco manager was unable to provide an estimated time of return for the January loan signee, thus it is likely that he will miss Rangers’ Europa League round of 16 matchup against Benfica. The first leg, which is in Portugal, is scheduled for as early as next Thursday, while the second leg—a pivotal match for Rangers’ hopes of making it to Europe—takes place at Ibrox on March 14.
Cortes has made an impression so far at Rangers.
It’s reasonable to argue that Cortes, a 20-year-old winger for RC Lens, has impressed since joining Rangers in January, especially since indications indicate that the team may try to make the loan transfer permanent this summer. Clement hasn’t held back while giving the loanee a lot of recognition.
“He is a capable player who enjoys playing football and can contribute to the club. Although he didn’t play many minutes—nearly none—during his six months in Lens, where they had a different coaching philosophy, it’s good that our recruitment team knew him for a long time and that they said he would fit in with the team and the squad and could provide something we need for the upcoming few months.
Rangers are greatly frustrated by Cortes’ positive impression, which makes the news of his injury even more frustrating, particularly as they get ready to play Portuguese powerhouse Benfica. When the winger consults a specialist regarding his muscle problem, Clement will be praying for good news.
