Rangers head coach Russell Martins has confirmed that Cyriel Dessers is fit to play against Club Brugge in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League final qualifying round tie.
Martins revealed that the Nigerian striker travelled with the squad to Belgium and is ready to feature:
“Dessers is here and good to go back in the squad.”
Dessers missed Rangers’ last two matches after suffering an injury during their 2-1 second-leg defeat to Viktoria Plzen in the third qualifying round.
His return is a huge boost for Martins as his side look to overturn a 3-1 deficit and secure a place in the group stages.
The 39-year-old coach expressed belief in his players’ ability to rise to the occasion:
“This game is very much alive and the tie is very much alive in our eyes. The guys ran more in the last game against Brugge than they have done for pretty much two years at this football club.
“They’re willing to run for us, they’re willing to work for us. At the minute, we have a little bit of inconsistency in selection, trying to find a rhythm, trying to find a way, but things will settle down very soon.
“The fact they’re willing to run so hard for us as a group and for each other suggests to me that it’s going to be OK and we’re going to move forward.”
It remains uncertain if Dessers will start, but his availability is also a boost for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle ahead of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa in September.
Dessers is among the players on Nigeria’s provisional list with the most minutes played so far this season.
