‘He’s a very special character’ - Snubbed Super Eagles star hails Mourinho ahead of UEL clash

The Scottish team's preparations for the European match have been disrupted by a period of inconsistency, resulting in the dismissal of Belgian manager Philippe Clement last week.

They suffered a disappointing 2-1 home loss to Motherwell over the weekend, which has left them 16 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race.

With their disappointing run of results, they will face the Turkish giants, who are unbeaten in their last 18 matches in all competitions. 

The 36-year-old centre-back has praised Mourinho as his team gears up for their upcoming clash in the UEL.

Balogun told the Belfast Telegraph, “He’s a very, very big character. He’s a very big manager in the world of football, and you have to have a lot of respect for Mourinho. I personally enjoy Mourinho’s press conferences because I think a lot of people call him arrogant.

“Maybe, but I think he’s a very special character. And I think you need a few characters that are not too generic to make football fun. It also gives you (the media) something to write about.”

Although Rangers face a difficult challenge, Balogun remains confident that they can take control of the match in Istanbul.