ALFREDO MORELOS broke Rangers' European scoring record last season. Now he has top spot in the Europa League in his sights as he seeks to surpass the tally of 40 set by Celtic legend Henrik Larsson.
Morelos scored his 32nd goal in the competition - and his 33rd in all UEFA fixtures - during the win over Red Star Belgrade last week and he will now aim to fire the champions into the last eight.
Here is how the Colombian has racked up his impressive total in recent seasons and become one of the finest forwards to ever find the net in the Europa League.
SEASON 16/17
Appearances: 6
Goals: 4
Morelos marked his European debut for HJK Helsinki with a brace in the first qualifying round victory over Atlantas Klaipeda as the Finns progressed 3-1 on aggregate.
Beroe Stara Zagora were beaten at the second stage as Morelos netted a crucial away goal but his fourth of the campaign ultimately proved meaningless for HJK.
Morelos was on target in Sweden against IFK Goteborg but a 2-0 home defeat saw his side miss out on a play-off berth during his first crack at European action.
SEASON 17/18
Appearances: 2
Goals: 0
His maiden appearances in the competition for Rangers will be remembered significantly less fondly by Morelos as Pedro Caixinha’s side were humbled by Progres Niederkorn.
The striker came off the bench for the final 13 minutes of the first leg as Kenny Miller struck to give Rangers what should have been a sound enough lead heading to Luxembourg.
Morelos lasted just 45 minutes of the away fixture, though, and would have to watch on as Rangers’ return to continental action was brought to an embarrassing end.
SEASON 18/19
Appearances: 13
Goals: 4
Morelos netted twice – away to Osijek and at home to Maribor – as Steven Gerrard’s side reached the group stages at the first time of asking.
A red card in Ufa didn’t cost Rangers on the night but the forward was then ruled out of the first fixture away to Villarreal as the Light Blues earned an impressive draw.
The 3-1 victory over Rapid Vienna came courtesy of a Morelos brace but he wouldn’t score again in the section and Rangers ultimately failed to reach the knockout rounds.
SEASON 19/20
Appearances: 17
Goals: 14
Four goals in the victory over St Joseph’s won’t win many plaudits but three in the fine win over Midtjylland were a sign of things to come. His dramatic header beat Legia Warsaw at Ibrox as reached moved through all four preliminary rounds once again.
Morelos scored in five successive group stages matches against Young Boys, Porto and Feyenoord to help Gerrard’s side qualify for the next round of the competition.
The Colombian was in sensational form throughout that campaign and his stock would rise significantly as a result of his Europa League exploits for Rangers.
SEASON 20/21
Appearances: 13
Goals: 5
Morelos again made the most of a trip to Gibraltar as he scored twice against Lincoln Red Imps and Rangers got their historic campaign off to a winning start.
The winner at home to Lech Poznan was followed by a record-breaking goal away to Benfica as he surpassed Ally McCoist’s European tally to earn his place in Ibrox folklore.
His final European goal of the term came in the 5-2 win over Royal Antwerp as he played his part in Rangers’ Premiership title triumph to further endear himself to fans.
SEASON 21/22
Appearances: 11
Goals: 6
The goal against Malmo proved irrelevant as Rangers came unstuck in the Champions League but Morelos would score the only one of the tie as Gerrard’s side saw off Alashkert to reach the Europa League group stages once again.
Morelos saved his best Group A evening for the biggest game as he bagged a brace to beat Sparta Prague and get new boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst off and running at Ibrox.
A stunning showing in Dortmund was capped with a goal and he would cause Red Star all manner of problems as he played his part in a fine home victory last week.
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