Presser points | Rangers vs Spurs | Radu Dragusin

Radu Dragusin spoke to the media at Ibrox on Wednesday evening, ahead of our UEFA Europa League MD6 clash against Rangers on Thursday night (8pm UK).

Here's what he had to say...

Last man standing

First up, it was put to Radu that he was our last recognised senior centre-back still fit after injuries to Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven - how did that feel?

Radu: "Good evening. Obviously with the injuries it's always tough, because you have to manage the players and then you know when you go on the pitch you have to give your best, regardless of which position you play. We are a group of players with quality that I trust a lot and regardless of any injury problems, we go out there and do our best and try to to play our football."

Archie Gray

It was put to Radu that it looked likely that Archie Gray could line up alongside him at Ibrox...

Radu: "He already played a couple of games as a centre-back, but the way we train it is the same as a centre-back and as a right-back or left-back, we have our principles and everybody knows their their jobs and in a defensive way, everybody knows what what they have to do, but, of course, I will try to help him and talk to him throughout the game."

Ibrox nights

Radu was asked how the team would cope with the atmosphere at Ibrox...

Radu: "Looking forward to it, honestly, because I heard about the atmosphere here. Also, playing in these European nights, it's a really nice way of of improving and experiencing this kind of... pressure, let's say, with this atmosphere. Like I said, we are looking forward to it and hopefully we'll get the three points."

Do you think you'll be better at handling it than you were in Galatasaray? It looked like some players were shaken by it...

Radu: "The atmosphere is different from from stadium to stadium, but like I said, we're going to try focus as good as we can tomorrow, and yeah, we're looking forward to to the atmosphere."

Rangers

Radu was asked how he thought Rangers might compare to the level of the Premier League?

Radu: "We have analysed them and prepared for the match, we know that they're a team that likes to put the physicality in, they like to bring this part of the game into their football and I think most of the game will be about winning our individual duels and trying to playing our football."

Pressure

Radu was asked if he felt this was a game we had to win...

Radu: "The pressure is always there in any game, regardless of the results that you had in the past. We have to continue to stick to our principles, believe in our way of playing and the results will come."

Playing the Ange way

Approaching a year at the club, Radu was asked how accustomed he now is with Ange Postecoglou's style of football...

Radu: "On a personal level, I feel I improved a lot. I feel like under under him and the staff I have evolved as a player and yes, like you said, the way we defend here is really different than the way I defended in the past, but I think it's a really nice way of playing football and enjoyable."

A similar question, how intensive is it to play Ange's football every three days?

Radu: "I feel like I already got into the rhythm of playing, you know, especially in the last period I played a couple of good games and I feel good. I don't feel tired or anything."

Injuries

Radu was asked a few questions on the injury situation - first, as the only fit centre-back, was there a case of the coaching staff trying to protect him?

Radu: "We train the same way since I came here, so that's not an issue. Every day is tough."

What do you put the injury list down to?

Radu: "Like I said, injuries will always be present in a squad, regardless of the way we train and the way we play. I really like the way we play, because it's a very aggressive way."

Playing in Europe

Finally, Radu was asked about his experiences so far in the UEL - his early red card against Qarabag, the atmosphere in Galatasaray, the draw against AS Roma...

Radu: "It's the first time I'm playing regularly in a European competition, so I didn't really know what to expect, but I think with every game I grow on the experience side. I'm still at the beginning of my career, I have a lot to learn."