Rangers have been hit with a massive injury blow to an “immense” player, following an update from interim manager Barry Ferguson.
Rangers hold Bilbao in spirited display
The Gers produced an impressive performance at Ibrox on Thursday evening, drawing 0-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.
Robin Propper was shown a red card with only 13 minutes played, giving Rangers a huge uphill battle, but they held on in the end, with Liam Kelly saving an Alex Berenguer penalty in the second half, leading to scenes of joy inside the stadium.
While Ferguson’s side still have a huge amount of work to do to make the semi-finals ahead of their daunting trip to Bilbao next week, they still have a fair chance of progressing.
However, one of the few negatives for Rangers on the night was a serious-looking injury to Dujon Sterling, with the 25-year-old stretchered off, leading to concerns about the length of his absence.
Ferguson confirms huge Rangers injury blow
Speaking to reporters on Friday (via Sky Sports), Ferguson confirmed that Rangers defender Sterling suffered a long-term injury against Bilbao, with his season definitely over:
“I just got a bit of bad news about Dujon – he’s going to be out long-term. He’s had a serious one. I’m devastated for him for a few reasons.
“He’s come in and been immense for me at the back. He’s had his injury issues and now we need to suffer another lengthy spell on the sidelines, which I’m devastated about. We’ll get around him, he’s a popular member of the dressing room and has been a big player for me.
“We just need to get him back fit as quickly as we can. I don’t know exactly [how long he will be out for] but I mean long-term. I’m no medical expert, but I’ve spoken to the doctor, he’ll go for surgery on Monday and we’ll just need to wait and see how that surgery goes.”
This is a cruel blow for Sterling, who has been a solid performer since arriving from Chelsea back in 2023, making 70 appearances for Rangers to date.
This season, the Englishman has made 20 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, while Andy Halliday has shown his appreciation for him, saying:
“I’m sure I’m sitting here along with a lot of other people thinking, ‘Where’s Dujon Sterling been all season?’. For me, his two performances since he’s come into the team have been nothing short of incredible.”
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Hopefully, Sterling returns the same player as before when he does eventually return – and at 25, that should be the case – but he will be a big loss for Rangers as an effective squad player, especially in the Europa League.