Former Rangers midfielder Dragan Mladenovic’s Ibrox career may have gone in a puff of smoke after his £1.1m move from Red Star Belgrade 18 years ago.
But the 46-year-old is adamant the Serbs are ready to set the Europa League on fire in the coming week and leave their own lasting impression on the Light Blues’ support.
Mladenovic is now Academy director at Red Star and can’t wait to see two of his old sides lock horns for a place in the quarter final.
While he speaks fondly of his short time in Glasgow after Alex McLeish splashed seven figures to lure him from his homeland in the summer of 2004, the ex-Serbia and Montenegro international makes no bones about the fact he’s backing Dejan Stankovic’s side to progress.
Key to those hopes, he insists, is keeping a cool head amid the red hot atmosphere at Ibrox tomorrow night.
Just like Rangers, who are in the midst of a frantic title fight with Celtic, Red Star are chasing fierce rivals Partizan in the closing stages of the Serbian SuperLiga, trailing by two points.
But they have serious star quality in their side, no more so than midfield double act Aleksandar Katai and Mirko Ivanic who between them have struck an incredible 38 goals from behind the frontline this season.
It’s that kind of threat in the Belgrade ranks - as well as the experience of Aleksandar Dragovic at the heart of defence - that convinces Mladenovic his home club will come out on top over the two legs.
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