CLEAR THE AIR
Ianis Hagi reacts to Rangers transfer exit speculation as he admits ‘my future is up in the air’
Reports this week suggested the player had told the club he wants to leave
IANIS HAGI has told how the Rangers players are desperate to deliver Euro glory for the fans - after putting them through the mill at Pittodrie.
Celtic WILL be crowned Premiership champions - but this latest Gers fightback means they must wait a little longer.
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Hagi’s last gasp equaliser rescued a point for Rangers who looked down at out at half-time.
It was another Jekyll and Hyde performance in a season littered with them.
And Hagi insists the only way to make amends is to keep their Europa League hopes alive with victory against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.
The Gers hero insisted: “Now it's full focus on Thursday.
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“We want to go through, we have to, because we want to give something back to the fans.
"We make it hard for ourselves sometimes.
"It's something we definitely need to work on and everybody in the dressing room agrees on that.
"Obviously coming back from 2-0 down with ten men says a lot about how much we wanted to come here and win.
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"In the end we couldn't do that.
"But now is about focusing on Thursday and giving the fans back something because they definitely deserve something."
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Gers boss Ferguson made NINE changes to his starting line up - the reshuffle almost gift-wrapping the title for Celts.
Yet another major overhaul is required in the summer with many of Fergie’s reinforcements not up to the task.
Hagi was one of those who came off the bench to help salvage something from the game and last night he admitted: "At Rangers we need depth, we know that.
"Since day one at this club, you need 25 players because there are a lot of games and a lot of injuries.
“People come in and out of form too, that is normal.
"We play over 60 games every season so there is no B-team or second team or whatever you want to call it.
As a group everyone knows they will get a chance and he has to play for the badge.
"That's the only thing that matters and that was the message at half-time even though we were one man down.
"We wanted to come back and we got a draw.
How they rated
Aberdeen: Doohan 5; Jensen 5, Dorrington 5, Knoester 5, Shinnie 6; Palaversa 6, Clarkson 7; Morris 8, Gueye 7, Keskinen 7; Nisbet 6.
Subs: (Okkels 3, Morris 59) (Sokler 3, Gueye 59) (Devlin 3, Palaversa 64) (Dabbagh 3, Keskinen 64)
Rangers: Kelly 6; Propper 7, Nsiala 7, Fernandes 1; McCausland 1, Barron 6, Bajrami 2, Curtis 6, Cortes 2; Danilo 2, Igamane 6.
Subs: (Tavernier 7 , Fernandes, 19) (Diomande 6, Danilo 46) (Jefte 4, Cortes 46) (Hagi 5, Bajrami 69) (Dessers, Curtis 75)
“My goal was just instinct.
"Somehow the ball came to me.
“I had played through Cyriel and it was a good chance.
“He was unlucky hitting the post.
“In the end it came back to Jefte and I called for it.
"I just went for it and was happy to score."
Hagi played down reports he could quit Rangers in the summer.
The midfielder is out of contract and no new deal has been agreed.
But it’s clear the player is in no rush to leave the Light Blues.
He stressed: "I understand, from my perspective my future is up in the air with the contract coming down at the end of the season.
"But what I cannot accept are things that are put out - words that I have not said ever.
"I just wanted to make that clear because I never said I wanted to leave Rangers.
"I am happy to be here and love this football club.
“I will do anything for this football club.
"For me, it's focusing on Thursday. It's so important for us to give something back to the fans.
“It's all about that.
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“We want to get into the next round and finish the season on a high."
Meanwhile, Gers boss Ferguson defended the changes he felt he had to make.
With both eyes on Thursday’s showdown in Bilbao, he said: “I've got a decision to make. I'm carrying a lot of injuries.
“There were a number of players having to be left behind.
“There were actually a number of players on the bench that probably I shouldn't have had on the bench.
“So I've got decisions to make as a manager.
“But the team that I put out in my mind, in my opinion, was good enough to come up here and try and get the team points.
“I'll take the spirit they showed.
“Certainly, the last two games have shown that they've got that.
“I thought they stuck together when we went down to ten.
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“I thought they worked ever so hard.
“You have to surrender a lot of possession, but they were willing to that.”
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