Prodan predicting Rangers recovery

Former Rangers FC defender Daniel Prodan reckons FC Unirea Urziceni will struggle to get a result when they visit Ibrox in UEFA Champions League Group G on Tuesday.

Injury woe
The 37-year-old former Romanian international spent two-and-a-half years with the Scottish outfit after Dick Advocaat signed him from Club Atlético de Madrid in 1998. A succession of knee injuries meant Prodan never made an appearance for the Light Blues but the centre-back still has fond memories of his time in Glasgow.

'Great people'
"Personally, it was a difficult period for me because I had four operations on my knee and couldn't play for the team," he told uefa.com. "That was a big disappointment for me but I will never forget the kindness of the Rangers fans and the Scottish people who were so friendly towards me. I met some great people at the club, people like John Greig and the kitman Jimmy Bell, who were so good to me. That is why I always look for Rangers' results and it always gives me pleasure to see them doing well. There will always be a piece of Rangers in my heart."

Home setback
Now employed as a sporting director with the Romanian Football Federation, Prodan will be an interested spectator when his former international team-mate Dan Petrescu brings Unirea to the south side of Glasgow on Tuesday. Having collected their first UEFA Champions League point against VfB Stuttgart on Matchday 2, the Romanian titleholders will be aiming to go one better by claiming their maiden victory in the section. However, having suffered a demoralising 4-1 home defeat by Sevilla FC last time out, Prodan thinks his former club will be like a wounded animal and does not expect them to succumb on home ground once more.

'Well organised'
"It will be hard for Unirea coming to Glasgow because it's not often that the top teams in Europe lose two games in a row at home," said Prodan, capped 55 times by Romania. "I know from my own time in Glasgow how passionate the crowd can be and that will be a test for Petrescu's side. There are no star names in the Unirea team, but they have a very strong group mentality. Actually, their most important player is Dan Petrescu himself. He is an excellent coach; his teams are always very well organised and they keep going until the final whistle. However, as far as the first game is concerned, Rangers must be favourites to win in Glasgow."