Two years ago Rangers hero Alfredo Morelos was ragdolling Dortmund stalwart Mats Hummels on route to the Europa League Final.
In one of the most impressive victories in Rangers history, the Ibrox side dumped Dortmund 4-2 in Germany before a stunning 2-2 draw in Glasgow ensured progression.
It was the result which gave Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst the belief that they could go all the way in the Europa League, and whilst we fell short against Frankfurt in Seville, it remains one of the most memorable periods in the club’s history.
But little over 48 months on from when Rangers were dumping Ze Germans, the contrasting stories of Alfredo Morelos and Mats Hummels have come into focus this week.
Whilst the German defender, 35, has just scored to fire Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League Final, Alfredo Morelos has been finding his scoring touch in the Brazilian second tier.
Hummels a Champions League hero as Morelos scores in Brazil
In what many Rangers fans believe is an example of the club’s regression in recent seasons, Borussia Dortmund are Wembley bound two years on from that famous victory.
Mats Hummels – who really was run ragged by Alfredo Morelos – scored the only goal as Dortmund recorded a 1-0 win in Paris to edge out PSG 2-0 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-final.
The defender produced a free header in the six-yard box to score the only goal of the second leg.
Alfredo Morelos meanwhile was scoring his first goal of the Brazilian second flight season with legendary club Santos as they look to rebuild after a historic relegation.
Alfie, 27, was quickest to react after the goalkeeper parried a shot and fired the ball into the roof of the net to make it 3-0 in Santos’ eventual 4-1 victory over Guarani.
Whilst we’re happy to see Alfredo find the net for Santos, going from a raucous Ibrox to scoring in an empty stadium is a sad sight for a player once rated at £16m.
Rangers striker blew Ibrox chance
Mats Hummels meanwhile has been defying the critics, many of them wearing Rangers jerseys, with his stunning contribution against PSG.
Having played the last time Borussia Dortmund made a Champions League Final – being beaten by Bayern back in 2013 – it’s a stunning comeback from the ashes of a career which looked finished.
The juxtaposition with Alfredo Morelos following that Europa League masterclass is also striking.
Whilst many felt the Rangers forward might kick on and do something in European football, Morelos is now back in South America scoring in front of empty stadiums.
Let it be a lesson to every football fan that the nature of the game changes very quickly and that whilst some players may be down, they are rarely out.
This includes ex-Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, who probably regrets all that posturing for a move and his salty attitude during his time at Ibrox.
Like so many before him, the striker didn’t know how good he had it at Rangers but there is still plenty of time for Alfie to make a proper impact outside of Glasgow.
