In a hint at the timing of the injury recurrence on his official Instagram account (September 19), it was clear that Danilo had been ordered to rest while his black eye healed.
The Brazilian striker bravely headed the opening goal in the 2-0 win over St Johnstone at the weekend, but had to be replaced after a collision.
After the match, Michael Beale confirmed that the player will have surgery on a broken cheekbone, with reports suggesting he could miss the crucial six-match series.
Rangers face battles on three fronts until the next international break on October 8 and Danilo’s injury comes at a sensitive time for Michael Beale.
In his Instagram story, Danilo posted an image of him and his pet dog with the caption:
“Go home. Recovery begins. Return to the scene in a few weeks.
Based on these comments, we will be lucky to see the striker again before the next international break and the situation presents a great opportunity for Cyriel Dessers.
The Belgian-Nigerian international striker was signed alongside Danilo in the summer, but it was the Brazilian who impressed fans the most before his injury.
As Antonio Colak began to find goals for Parma following his departure from Rangers, the pressure was on Cyriel Dessers and Michael Beale.
Considering the £4.5 million it would take to sign the striker this summer, scoring two goals in nine appearances is not enough and change must come soon. With Danilo now out of action through injury, this six-match run for Rangers is a huge opportunity for Cyriel Dessers to turn Ibrox’s stance around and start finding his way around the net.Danilo
