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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Graeme Young

Joe Aribo and every Rangers AFCON return scenario as 'final four' worst outcome looms

Watching one of your best players star for one of the most iconic sides in world football is surely a thrill for Rangers supporters.

Joe Aribo has become a bonafide Super Eagles star and has wowed onlookers with his dazzling displays in Cameroon at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 25-year-old is in the form of his life and Rangers supporters' pride is only balanced out by the fact they are without arguably their most influential player.

Aribo has been brilliant this season, under both Steven Gerrard and Gio van Bronckhorst, and his ball carrying, tricks and eye for a key pass was badly missing against Aberdeen.

But when will he wear Light Blue again?

That remains to be seen but there is further clarity now the group stage has come to its conclusion.

Make no mistake, this is a bumper of a tournament, with the last two editions seeing 24 teams compete.

Rangers supporters will understandably keen to their creative spark sooner rather than later but the road appears long and winding for one of the tournament favourites.

Record Sport runs the rule over the permutations of each fixture and what a win or a loss would mean for the Ibrox side.

Last 16 vs Tunisia - January 23

Tunisia, a once feared African powerhouse, are not the same team that reached three consecutive World Cups between 1998 and 2006.

And they lost twice in the group stage, to Gambia and Mali with only their 4-0 thumping over Mauritania enough to earn them a third-placed finish.

A decent squad but they are are lacking a box-office superstar like some of their rivals.

Rangers' Joe Aribo is attracting interest from the English Premier League (SNS Group)

If Nigeria lose then Aribo becomes an outside shot for a quick return to Scotland and featuring against Livingston.

That seems unlikely, however, as there are bigger games to come rather than rushing their best player back for a short-term fix.

Quarter final vs Burkina Faso or Gabon - January 29

If Aribo and Nigeria reach the last eight then he will be in Garoua while his club pals are in Dingwall.

The Ross County game is a big one as Malky Mackay's resurgent side have been picking up points and impressing since their defeat at Ibrox in November.

Even if Nigeria exit at this stage, it would still involve a trek back to Glasgow before a visit to Celtic Park on Wednesday, February 2.

Semi final - February 2

If Nigeria make it to the Final four, their semi final will be on the same night that Glasgow's great rivals lock horns in the East End.

That rules him out of one the biggest domestic fixtures and years and due to the tournament format, this is the point for Rangers fans where a Nigeria tournament triumph would be worth the loss of the player himself.

Third-place or Final - February 6

if Aribo and the Super Eagles soar to the Final Four then he's guaranteed to be playing on the same day that Rangers are hosting at Hearts.

That's because there's a third-placed playoff takes place before the showpiece event in Yaounde.

If Aribo goes all the way to the final day, his participation against Hibs on Wednesday February 9 appears a long shot.

He will have featured in six of his side's seven games if everything goes to plan.

The Scottish Cup round five follows on the weekend of 12/13 February before the first leg away to Borussia Dortmund on February 17.

If Aribo is part of the team that lifts the trophy he will likely miss Rangers' next six games.

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