STEVEN Gerrard has admitted he expects Hibernian loanee Florian Kamberi to feature for Rangers against Braga at some stage in the Europa League last 32 tie this evening.
The Swiss forward hasn’t scored in the three substitute’s appearances that he has made for the Ibrox club since joining them until the end of the season last month.
However, the 24-year-old had a strike disallowed in the rearranged Ladbrokes Premiership match against Livingston on Sunday afternoon.
And Gerrard, who has been disappointed with how his front three have functioned at times in 2020, has admitted Kamberi is very much in his thoughts.
“He is extremely close,” he said. “When you get indifferent performances in terms of the group and certain individuals, and as a manager you get a player who’s maybe waiting and pushing for an opportunity, obviously the chances increase.
“There are people on the sidelines at the moment who are really pushing for opportunities and training really well, Flo being one of them. I told him to keep doing what he’s been doing because he’s been a real breath of fresh air.
“I was really impressed with him when he came on at the weekend so there will be an opportunity for him, I’m sure. And not just him. There are other people pushing in different areas."
Kamberi is inexperienced in European football, but Gerrard stressed he will have no qualms about pitching the 6ft 4in player into the Braga match.
“Sometimes that helps, having no fear,” he said. “He’s probably looked at European football for a very long time and thought: ‘I’d love that opportunity’. He might be champing at the bit.
“I don’t look and say that someone has played a hundred times and someone else hasn’t played at all. I pick on what I see on a daily basis and Flo’s certainly pushing for opportunities.”
Gerrard is hoping that Alfredo Morelos, who became the first player in the history of UEFA competitions to score 14 goals before Christmas, can add to his tally despite only scoring once in 2020.
“Some of his best performances for us have been in Europe,” he said. “He’s up there in the scoring charts. We wouldn’t be sitting here doing this if it hadn’t been for Alfredo being so clinical and how big he’s been in these moments for the team. I’m sure he’s fired up for this one.”
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