Philippe Clement says versatile Rangers star is now taking ‘more and more control of his emotions’
According to Philippe Clement, one Rangers loanee performed admirably against Benfica in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Fabio Silva’s superb performance on the left flank helped Gers secure a 2-2 draw at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
The 21-year-old posed a real threat and contributed to Dujon Sterling’s close-range strike, making it 2-1 to Rangers right before half-time.
Silva’s energy and desire to track runners were also superb on the night, and the Portuguese prodigy on loan from Wolves demonstrated his versatility if needed.
Rangers were without four wingers from the matchday roster, but Silva proved his ability to play wide and perform against high-level opponents.
Clement gave Silva extra appreciation in his post-game press conference, telling the reporters that the 21-year-old is now able to control his emotions on the pitch.
Silva spent two years as a youth player with Benfica before joining rivals Porto. As a result, he was always going to face opposition from his home fans.
According to Philippe Clement, Silva handled the situation well and was unaffected by displeasure from the Estadio da Luz stands.
Philippe Clement on Fabio Silva
According to The Irish News, Clement stated, “Fabio is growing. He is still a young player, at 21 years old. Before he arrived to Rangers, we talked a lot about his role and what roles he could play.
“We talked about him as a striker, as well as playing on the left side or surrounding the striker. He can play all of these roles, and he demonstrated his abilities in this game.
“As you can see, he has rapidly blended into the squad and feels quite comfortable at the club. He plays with a positive attitude and brings a lot of energy to the club.
“He has his qualities and is gradually gaining control of his emotions.” We talked a lot about it, and that was the next step for him.
“I am quite pleased with how he handled the game in Lisbon, given it was a hostile environment with a lot of attention on him. But he played for the team to show everyone that he is a good player.
“He played to be good player for Rangers and that’s important to me.”
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