"Devastating" Rangers star is now their most important player since Morelos
da cassino： Rangers in the Europa League strike once again.
da doce： On Thursday night, despite being without a permanent manager and enduring a horrendous domestic campaign, the Gers once again saved their best for a European tie.
Barry Ferguson’s side beat Fenerbahçe 3-1 at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, so are now in pole position to reach the quarter-finals, considering the club have advanced through all 21 two-legged European ties in which they’ve won the first leg beforehand.
During Thursday’s famous win in İstanbul, one Rangers star in particular underlined his importance, potentially the club’s most effective attacking difference maker since a club great of the not-too-distant past.
Alfredo Morelos' Rangers career
Back in June 2017, Rangers signed a 21-year-old by the name of Alfredo Morelos for just £1m from Veikkausliiga champions HJK Helsinki, and this certainly proved to be money well spent.
Then manager Steven Gerrard described the Colombian international striker as “fantastic” and, with these statistics, it’s easy to understand why.
Alfredo Morelos’ Rangers career in numbers
Statistics
Morelos at Rangers
Appearances
269
Minutes
18,904
Goals
124
Assists
57
Minutes per goal
152
Premiership goals
78
Cup goals
17
European goals
29
Red cards
8
Trophies
2
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt
Morelos’ tally of 124 goals for Rangers means he is one of only 18 men to have netted 100 or more times for the club, while only captain James Tavernier and Kris Boyd have scored more in the 21st century.
Nicknamed el Bufalo, the striker’s best work certainly came on the continent, scoring 29 times in UEFA competition, thereby becoming Rangers’ all-time top-scorer in Europe, smashing Ally McCoist’s long-standing record of 21.
Meantime, in 2019, the Colombian scored 14 of these goals during Europa League qualifying and then the group phase, the most any player has ever managed pre-Christmas in any UEFA tournament.
Morelos departed for Santos in 2023, he’s currently on loan at Atlético Nacional, and many Rangers supporters may argue they’ve never replaced his goals, perhaps until now.
Rangers' latest European hero
Václav Černý was unquestionably the hero on Thursday night, scoring twice during the crucial victory over Fenerbahçe, but this was merely a continuation of his exceptional form.
Černý’s performances in general have been “devastating”, as per analyst John Walker, with the aforementioned club legend Boyd, speaking on Sky Sports following December’s 2-2 draw with Motherwell at Firk Park, exclaiming “where would Rangers be if it wasn’t for him”?
So, let’s take a look at the Czech international’s numbers this season.
Václav Černý Rangers career in numbers
Statistics
Václav Černý
Rangers rank
Appearances
42
=3rd
Minutes
3,167
5th
Total goals
17
2nd
Premiership goals
11
=1st
Europa League goals
6
1st
Assists
7
=2nd
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt
The table underlines Černý’s importance to this Rangers team, with only Cyriel Dessers, the other mid-week scorer at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, having netted more across all competitions for the club this season.
The direct comparison to Morelos comes from the Czech winger’s tendency to save his best for Thursday nights.
Having previously netted twice against Steaua București, also on target in victories against Nice and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the league phase, Černý now has six Europa League goals to his name this season.
Only two players, namely Tavernier and Morelos, have scored more goals in a single European campaign since the club’s return to the Premiership.
In this season’s Europa League, only Ayoub El Kaabi (seven) of Olympiacos, who scored against Rangers in November, has more goals, while Černý is joint-top, alongside Olympique Lyonnais wonderkid Rayan Cherki, when it comes to goal-involvements, both on eight.
Černý is, of course, only on loan at Ibrox but, according to a report by Mark Walker of the National, his parent club Wolfsburg would be willing to sell the winger for as little as £6.75m, a deal Rangers must do everything in their power to finalise, regardless of whom the manager is going to be long-term.
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Rangers put one foot in the Europa League quarter-finals by beating Fenerbahçe in İstanbul on Thursday night, with one player in particular starring.