'Aggressive' enforcer to face Inter Milan in Champions League after Rangers flop and position switch

Yesterday at 11:30 AM

The summer of 2017 was one of excitement as Pedro Caixinha brought a mixture of experienced international players and promising youngsters to Rangers. 

The excitement was short lived, the Portuguese manager left Ibrox just a few months into the season with an expensively assembled squad that was struggling to keep up with third place. 

One of the signings became something of a joke figure, ending the season with just 136 minutes of action – 135 against Progres Neiderkorn and one minute against Hamilton. 

• READ MORE:Rangers Europa League Squad 2024/25

From Rangers flop to Champions League giants for Dalcio

When a Portugal Under-21 international arrives from Benfica, there is always going to be a natural level of intrigue, however, Dalcio, did little to suggest that he had a bright future in the game after flopping so badly at Rangers. 

Oh, how he had the last laugh.

A nomadic career has seen the 6ft tall Guinea-Bissau international wind up at Red Star Belgrade. 

A famous, historic and well-respected club. 

They are also regulars in European competition.

When he arrived at Rangers, Pedro Caixinha painted a picture of a fast, dynamic winger who loves nothing better than taking players on: 

"He is a young Portuguese player from Benfica and the under-21 national team and he has the characteristics to play from both wide areas.

"He is left footed but he is comfortable playing on the right, he is the type of player who is comfortable in receiving the ball and he is aggressive attacking the defenders.

"He is aggressive looking for the one-v-one and looking for finishing and he can perform on the right or left." 

Dalcio finds his feet in a different position

The 28-year old now finds himself playing as a defensive midfielder, in the Champions League – against Inter Milan, the current Serie A champions.

The saying, "better to be a has been, than a never been" has never been more appropriate.

Laughed at in the early stages of his career, Dalcio will now follow up his match day one appearance against his former club Benfica with what will be a tough test in the San Siro.

The Italian giants lost their influential manager Thiago Motta to Juventus and are yet to hit top form, but their squad is still full of established international players and big money signings.

It's hard not to draw similarities with Fernando Ricksen.

Signed as a right-back, Ricksen was subbed before the half-hour mark in his first Old Firm derby and looked completely out of his depth until Alex McLeish moved him into the middle of midfield.

Maybe Pedro was right, he just played Dalcio in the wrong position.