How Leon Balogun and Rangers pals will handle three intense derbies as Nigeria vs Ghana description sounds familiar

Leon Balogun admits he and Rangers team-mates Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey are facing two monumental derby clashes before they even get to Celtic.

The Ibrox trio are amongst the Light Blues squad who face a momentous next clash on the club scene in the shape of the Old Firm showdown on Sunday week.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s title chasers go into the cracker against the Premiership pacesetters on their own patch with an opportunity to haul themselves level on points with six games to go in a pulsating battle for the cherished title.

But, beforehand, Balogun and his Nigeria buddies have two enormous derbies on the international scene which have the capacity to be every bit as explosive as the Glasgow clash.

Balogun’s Super Eagles have their Qatar 2022 aspirations firmly on the line before returning to domestic business with a win-or-bust World Cup play-off against fierce rivals Ghana.

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The West African neighbours are torrid rivals on the park and it is a high-stakes battle which has demanded the attention of both populations.

Balogun knows the importance of the ties to the people, but says he has to keep outside noise out of his thinking as he prepares for an eagerly-awaited 180 minutes.

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