There was supposed to be nothing but confidence around Ibrox this week. Rangers had just delivered a stunning 3–0 demolition of Celtic, secured their place in the League Cup semi-finals and given their supporters one of those afternoons that can live in Old Firm folklore for years. The atmosphere was electric, the performance was ruthless and the belief surrounding Derek McInnes’ team appeared to be growing by the hour.
But now, with barely a week separating the two rivals from another enormous meeting, there is a very different feeling creeping into the Rangers camp.
The celebrations have been replaced by uncertainty.
The smiles have been replaced by nervous glances towards the treatment room.
And Rangers supporters have suddenly been given another reason to worry.
Derek McInnes has confirmed that Ryan Naderi missed Friday training as he continues to struggle with the ankle problem suffered during last weekend’s victory, while another Rangers player is also a doubt for Sunday. Tuur Rommens has returned to training, but the manager is still assessing whether the defender is ready for such an intense occasion.
For Rangers fans, this is the kind of update nobody wanted to hear.
THE WORST POSSIBLE TIMING — RANGERS’ BIG MOMENTUM HAS SUDDENLY BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER FITNESS SCARE
The timing could hardly be more cruel.
Rangers are preparing to walk into Celtic Park just seven days after dismantling their biggest rivals at Ibrox.
The confidence should be enormous.
The belief should be enormous.
But Old Firm football has a brutal habit of changing everything in an instant.
One injury can change a manager’s entire tactical plan.
One missing player can alter the balance of a team.
And with Rangers already carrying a worrying list of absentees, McInnes now has another problem that he simply did not need.
Naderi’s situation is particularly frightening because the striker was injured during the very match that gave Rangers so much confidence.
“RYAN’S ANKLE’S A MESS” — NOW RANGERS FANS MUST WAIT AND PRAY FOR THE LATEST UPDATE
The seriousness of the concern became clear when McInnes previously described Naderi’s ankle in brutally simple terms.
“Ryan’s ankle’s a mess. It was a mess, it was a poor challenge.”
Those words have now taken on even greater significance.
Naderi has become an important option for McInnes, particularly with Rangers already missing other attacking players.
And now he has failed to train.
McInnes has not ruled him out completely, revealing that the striker could potentially return to training on Saturday.
But that leaves Rangers supporters facing an agonising wait.
Will he make it?
Will the ankle hold up?
And even if he is declared fit, will he be capable of giving everything required in one of the most physically demanding matches in world football?
Those questions will hang over Ibrox until the final decision is made.
AND THEN CAME ANOTHER DOUBT — McINNES IS KEEPING RANGERS FANS GUESSING
As if Naderi’s situation wasn’t enough, McInnes revealed that another Rangers player is also carrying a doubt.
The manager has chosen not to reveal the player’s identity.
That secrecy will only increase the anxiety among supporters.
Rangers fans know exactly how quickly an apparently manageable fitness issue can become a major problem before an Old Firm match.
And this is not an ordinary fixture.
This is Celtic Park.
This is Rangers against Celtic.
This is a game where every sprint, tackle, challenge and mistake can change the entire afternoon.
ROMMENS RETURNS — BUT THERE IS STILL A BIG QUESTION HANGING OVER HIM
There was at least one encouraging development.
Tuur Rommens returned to training on Friday.
For a Rangers squad already dealing with significant injuries, that is welcome news.
But McInnes is not rushing into a decision.
Rommens has been out with a groin problem, and returning to training does not automatically mean he is ready to start an Old Firm match.
The difference between completing a training session and surviving 90 minutes at Celtic Park is enormous.
McInnes therefore has to make a decision that could carry huge consequences.
Risk Rommens and potentially aggravate the problem?
Or protect him and trust another player to handle one of the most intimidating assignments of the season?
THE TREATMENT ROOM WAS ALREADY HAUNTING RANGERS — NOW IT IS GETTING EVEN HARDER TO IGNORE
The frightening part for Rangers supporters is that this is not an isolated problem.
Lawrence Shankland remains out after suffering a significant hamstring injury.
Youssef Chermiti is also sidelined with a long-term injury.
Daisuke Yokota remains unavailable following surgery.
These are not fringe players simply waiting for an opportunity.
They are players who were expected to contribute significantly to Rangers’ season.
And suddenly McInnes is being forced to find solutions with fewer and fewer options.
That makes the Naderi situation even more important.
RANGERS HAVE OPTIONS — BUT HOW MANY MORE BLOWS CAN McINNES ABSORB?
To McInnes’ credit, Rangers have continued to find ways of winning.
Bojan Miovski has stepped up.
Naderi has contributed.
Kevin Kelsy provides another attacking option.
The squad has shown resilience.
But there is a point where injuries begin to test even the deepest squad.
And Rangers are getting dangerously close to that territory.
Every additional injury now feels significant.
Every player who walks off the training pitch with discomfort creates another question.
Every late fitness test could potentially change McInnes’ entire team.
CELTIC WILL BE DESPERATE — AND THAT MAKES THE NADERI SITUATION EVEN MORE FRIGHTENING
Then comes the biggest problem of all.
Celtic will not want another 3–0 defeat.
They will not want another afternoon of Rangers players dominating the contest.
They will not want to watch the same thing happen again at their own stadium.
Martin O’Neill’s team are also coming off a 3–1 Europa League defeat to Ferencvaros, meaning the pressure surrounding Celtic has intensified.
That makes Sunday’s match potentially explosive.
Rangers know Celtic will come out fighting.
Celtic know they cannot afford another performance like the one at Ibrox.
And McInnes may have to walk into that environment without one of his important attacking options.
THE WAIT NOW BEGINS — AND RANGERS FANS WILL BE WATCHING EVERY UPDATE
For Rangers supporters, the next training session could suddenly become one of the most important moments of the entire week.
If Naderi returns, there will be relief.
If Rommens is declared ready, there will be another boost.
But if either player fails to make it, the questions will become even louder.
Who replaces them?
Does McInnes change his formation?
Does he alter his attacking approach?
Does he sacrifice attacking threat for greater defensive security?
Or does he trust the players who delivered that extraordinary 3–0 victory to do it all over again?
Nobody knows yet.
And that uncertainty is exactly what makes this Old Firm clash so frightening.
FROM IBROX EUPHORIA TO PARKHEAD ANXIETY — EVERYTHING CAN CHANGE IN 90 MINUTES
Seven days ago, Rangers supporters were celebrating one of their most memorable recent victories over Celtic.
Now they are waiting anxiously for injury updates.
That is the cruel nature of the Old Firm.
One week you are celebrating.
The next, you are desperately hoping your best players are healthy enough to play.
McInnes has built enormous momentum since taking charge, but Sunday will test more than his tactics.
It will test his squad depth.
It will test his ability to adapt.
And perhaps most importantly, it will test whether Rangers can withstand another wave of bad injury news without allowing it to damage the confidence created by that 3–0 triumph.
The answer will come at Celtic Park.
But until then, Rangers supporters are left with one uncomfortable thought:
What if the team that looked almost unstoppable at Ibrox is forced to face Celtic again without some of the players who helped make that victory possible?
That is the question hanging over Rangers tonight.
And Sunday cannot come quickly enough.
