Graeme Souness reveals X-rated Rangers tackle story and how Steaua shocker was MISTAKEN IDENTITY

The former hardman midfielder committed a shocking foul during a European Cup tie against Steaua Bucharest in 1988.

Graeme Souness has revealed how his “worst ever challenge” came after a case of mistaken identity - with Romanian legend Marius Lacatus his intended target for his X-rated challenge in Rangers’ clash with Steaua Bucharest.

The ex Ibrox iron man midfielder and manager committed a shocking foul in the European Cup second leg against but he chopped down Iosif Rotariu - who later said he could have been KILLED - by mistake after thinking it was Lacatus who had riled him during Steaua’s 2-0 first leg win.

The challenge has gone down in infamy and Souness, speaking on talkSPORT, told the story behind it. He said: “They had a guy called (Marius) Lacatus - a really good player, wide midfielder who ended up going to Fiorentina - and in the first game he was going around topping everyone. And this was about 10 minutes into the game and I’ve gone for him - thinking it was him. I was saying ‘I’ve got a chance here’. Then I realised this wasn’t Lacatus, just some poor innocent Romanian. It was outrageous and I should have been sent off. That was the worst challenge ever. But I was never going to injure myself.”

Rotariu said years later: “My lymph nodes burst following this tackle. At half time, the doctor used a syringe to draw out the lymph fluid. My leg started to swell heavily. He put a bandage around my thigh. The surgeon told me it could’ve been fatal for me if his boot caught me just a few centimetres higher.”

Souness then revealed the reason for his combative style of play that earned him a career at the top level with Spurs, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Rangers. He said: “I played in the centre of midfield. I was 19 or 20 playing for Middlesbrough against the Leeds United team of Bremner, Giles and I got sorted. I was having a tussle with Bremner or Giles - or both of them - and I went for a ball, stretched and Terry Yorath came in and caught me just above the knee and I had to go inland after that I thought it was far better to give out than be taking it and I was never caught like that again.”