After suffering an injury against Livingston, Leon Balogun will not allow the minor inconvenience of a broken bone in his face to prevent him from playing for his beloved Rangers.
Ibrox manager Philippe Clement, who has showered the 35-year-old “warrior” with plaudits even though he was substituted off in the first half of the final 3-0 triumph, seems to feel that way.
Just 22 minutes into the Scottish Premiership encounter, Leon Balogun was substituted for John Souttar following a collision with Livingston defender Shaun Donnellan.
Rangers may now only have two alternatives for senior center backs because Ben Davies is now out for an undisclosed amount of time.
Philippe Clement on the injury of Leon Balogun
Though Rangers manager Philippe Clement asserts that Leon Balogun “probably broke something in his face,” he doesn’t think it will stop him for very long.
Speaking during the match against Livingston, Clement stated that the defender is now extremely likely to return wearing a mask once the medical staff gives him the all-clear.
Indeed, the injury is both good and bad, according to Clement. “Let’s assume that it’s not good since he likely shattered something in his face and it’s a serious injury.
The fact that he is a warrior and has experience dealing with such situations in the past gives him a positive aspect. He also thinks that wearing a mask will allow him to return quickly. I thus hope that’s the case, but the medical staff must make that determination.
For the most part, Rangers captain Philippe Clement has preferred Leon Balogun to Connor Goldson as his backup at the back.
Under the Belgian manager, the defender has made 14 appearances this season, 11 of which have been starts.
Rangers “warrior” is left off of the European team
The injury to Leon Balogun and Philippe Clement’s remarks follow the Nigerian international’s exclusion from the team selected for the Europa League.
For the second half of the season, Rangers were limited to three roster changes: Fabio Silva, Mohamed Diomande, and Ridvan Yilmaz.
Although Leon Balogun and Oscar Cortes are no longer available, it is evident that Philippe Clement expects the center back to play a significant role for Rangers this season.
Leon has been open about his affection for the Glasgow team. He was re-signed in the summer after quitting the team in a contentious manner at the end of the 21–22 season.
This is best summed up by the player’s “warrior” remarks and his eagerness to recover from a facial injury. The defender is a vital member of the Rangers team.
Fans are anxiously awaiting Balogun’s return to the team, so we don’t think it will hold him back for long after a week of double disappointment for the center-back.
