Whenever a team loses by six goals, it’s not often the case that many players come out of such a heavy defeat with their reputations enhanced. But, in the case of Rangers’ ever-improving £3.5 million man, his absence should have made hearts grow a little stronger.
Ruled out of Tuesday’s friendly with an injury he picked up earlier on during the March international break, the unavailability of one of Rangers’ key men was very keenly felt as his side went down 6-1 without him.
Making his return to the national team fold after two years away, Ridvan Yilmaz lasted only 27 minutes of Turkey’s 1-0 defeat to Hungary last week. Whether his presence alone would have stopped Austria from racking up the goals at the Ernst Happel Stadium is, of course, not something we can answer with any certainty.
But with the European Championships now only three months away – and with doubts already arising over the future of head coach Vincenzo Montella – Cenk Ozkacar’s misery could yet be Ridvan Yilmaz’s fortune.
Rangers ace sees his Euro 2024 hopes boosted
Ozkacar was, after all, the man selected in place of the injured Rangers full-back in Vienna. And it’s fair to say that, if he is to be Yilmaz’s main competitor for a starting spot at Euro 2024, Yilmaz could actually stand to benefit – at least from a personal perspective – from a defeat which will be a hammer blow to Turkish confidence ahead of those group-stage clashes with Georgia, Portugal and the Czech Republic.
“Cenk Ozkacar cannot become a left-back for the national team,” was Hurriyet’s verdict of the Valencia defender who, in his defence, is more used to playing at centre-half than wide on the flank.
Ozkacar has started only 11 La Liga games this season for Villarreal. Yilmaz, in contrast, continues to establish himself as one of the first names on Philippe Clement’s Ibrox team sheet, putting those January exit rumours behind him while keeping the long-serving – and probably departing – Borna Barisic out of the XI.
Ridvan Yilmaz expected back for Celtic clash
If he can return to full fitness, Yilmaz is likely to be on the team sheet when Rangers host Old Firm neighbours and title rivals Celtic on April 7th. Fortunately, a source close to the former Besiktas man believes that he should be back available sooner rather than later.
“We’re hoping the recovery process will only take seven to 10 days. Fortunately, the injury is not too severe,” the source tells the Daily Record.
“While we don’t want to put an exact date on it, we’re hoping he will be in the squad or, even better, on the pitch against Celtic.”
