Glasgow Rangers icon Nacho Novo has admitted that his time at Ibrox was the happiest of his career, as they get set to take on another love of his, Real Betis.
The former forward has been speaking to ABC Sevilla in Spain regarding Rangers and Betis, who face each other tonight.
Rangers host Betis at Ibrox in the start of their Group Stage campaign in the Europa League, with them tow easily the big teams in Group C alongside Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol.
Michael Beale’s side will be expected to progress from that group but whether that happens remains to be seen, with Rangers very much a big scalp.
Their results against Betis will be key to determining where they finish, with Manuel Pellegrini’s side arguably the biggest challenge in the group and surely determined to finish first themselves.
A man who will be keenly watching is Nacho Novo, who has close ties to both clubs for various reasons.
He joined Rangers in a €500,000 deal from Dundee in 2004 and spent six years at the club, managing 62 goals and 21 assists in 229 games for the club, a period which saw him win six titles and finish runner up in the UEFA Cup.
He remains an icon at the club and is even a part of the furniture, with pictures of him and various other icons still adorning the walls at Ibrox.
There was no such playing time at Betis, but he is a fan regardless after watching his adoptive father, Ricardo Gómez Varela, played for the club.
“At Rangers, they love me a lot, that’s the truth,” he said.
“As you enter the Ibrox reception you look up at a large wooden board on which the legends, the club’s Hall of Fame, are inscribed.
“And there they have me alongside Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup, for example.
“I’m not going to miss the game, no matter what time it is here, even if he doesn’t sleep. Rangers and Betis are the most special teams of my life.
“I will go with Rangers, but Betis is sure to be on top. I hope we don’t cross paths later, which will be more difficult, in the final rounds of the Europa League. Betis is a great club with a great coach.”
