'Touch and go' – Martin admits Dessers faces late fitness test ahead of Rangers v Club Brugge

Rangers manager Russell Martin has admitted that Cyriel Dessers is facing a late fitness test ahead of the Uefa Champions League playoff round clash with Club Brugge.

The Nigeria international picked up an ankle injury during Rangers' 4–2 aggregate victory over Viktoria Plzen in the third qualifying round, limping off eight minutes into the second half to be replaced by Danilo. 

Initial fears suggested a lengthy layoff but medical tests have since confirmed the problem to be minor.

Dessers, who finished as the Scottish Premiership's top scorer in 2024–25, sat out Rangers' 4–2 win against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup at the weekend.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Martin confirmed that Dessers remains his only injury concern but stressed that the striker's recovery has exceeded expectations.

"Cyriel (Dessers) is probably the only concern really, he'll be touch and go," the Rangers boss told reporters.

"He's responded really well to treatment and as I said it was nowhere near as bad as we first feared."

Martin added that even if Dessers misses the European tie, he is expected to be back in contention this weekend.

"So if it's not tomorrow, we expect him to be back for the weekend and next week," he said.

Should Dessers fail his fitness test, there will still be Nigerian representation at Ibrox on Tuesday night, with Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika included in the Belgian side's travelling squad to Glasgow.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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