Rangers assessing Kemar Roofe ‘day by day’ ahead of Europa League final
Posted Thursday, May 12, 2022 by PA
Rangers boss Giovanni Van Bronckhorst admits Kemar Roofe is touch and go to be fit for the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt next week.
The striker was again absent for the 4-1 cinch Premiership win over Ross County at Ibrox.
Midfielder Ryan Jack was also missing from the squad for the second game in a row and, with Alfredo Morelos out through injury, Joe Aribo began as a makeshift striker.
On a night when Celtic officially wrestled the cinch Premiership title back with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice, the Light Blues kept momentum going ahead of the trip to Seville.
The home side led at the interval through goals by Scott Wright and skipper James Tavernier, who scored from the spot.
Although Staggies substitute Jordan White reduced the deficit in the 72nd minute with a terrific finish, Rangers replacements Fashion Sakala and Amad Diallo both struck late on.
Asked about Roofe’s chances of making next Wednesday night in Spain – he has missed the last six games with a knee injury – Van Bronckhorst said: “It is going to be a close call for Kemar.
“So we have to assess him day by day. I think Jack is ahead of him. Jack will be ready for next week but I still don’t know about Kemar.”
Van Bronckhorst was pleased to be able to rotate his squad during a comfortable win against the Staggies and will make changes again for the final league game of the season against Scottish Cup final opponents Hearts at Tynecastle at the weekend.
The Dutchman said: “It was a good performance, we wanted to keep winning, keep the momentum going so it was good to start with a strong formation but also rotate again in this match but in the end it was a comfortable win for us.
“It is finding the right balance. Obviously you want to keep going, you want to test players but it is also important to get the rhythm and keep on playing and I think I saw that in my team today.
“In the first half we were going at full speed, the rhythm was good, we were creating a lot of chances, there should have been more goals in the first half.
“In the second half we could rotate. It is important in this week to give as many players minutes to be ready for the games that come ahead.”
County have missed out on the chance for Europa Conference football next season and will finish sixth.
But after a difficult start to the season, boss Malky Mackay said: “I am really proud of the players.
“There is an immediate disappointment in terms of we couldn’t take it to the last game of the season.
“But I spoke to the players and told them how proud I was of them this season when you think of the budget of the football club.
“We have consistently shown we can go toe-to-toe with most teams in the league.”
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