Rae faces two months out of action

Rangers midfielder Alex Rae faces a lay-off of up to two months because of a torn calf muscle.

It is the latest setback the 34-year-old has had to endure since rejoining the club who rejected him as a teenager in the summer.

The former Wolves man was handed a five-match European ban for kicking a CSKA Moscow player in the head in a Champions League qualifier.

Now he has been ruled out of vital league games because of an injury sustained in last month’s 1-0 defeat at Celtic.

Rae could be back in six weeks but accepts that eight is a more realistic date.

He told Rangers News: “The ban was the most disappointing thing but getting an injury that is going to set me back a few weeks is a blow as well.

“It’s disappointing but it is always important to take the positives out of any situation and I will try to do that.

“I’m just pleased to simply still be playing football at this level.”

It had been suggested that Rae had suffered a knee injury in the build-up to his Old Firm derby debut but that was not the case.

He said: “I got a tear in my calf and that’s the extent of the injury. There has been speculation surrounding other parts of my body but there was nothing wrong with me in the lead up to the Celtic game.

“Everything else is fine, it’s just the two-inch tear in my calf I need to worry about. It will set me back a wee while but it is hard to say for how long. There is bruising around the area so they can’t diagnose it fully until I go back next week.”

Gers boss Alex McLeish praised Rae for staying on the pitch at Parkhead for the full 90 minutes.

He said: “Alex Rae showed his outstanding commitment and bravery in the Celtic game by playing so long with a calf tear.

“If that is not commitment then I don’t know what is. I know a lot of players who would have come off long before Alex even contemplated it. It looks like he will be missing for six to eight weeks and that is a blow.”

Rae will be hoping Rangers are still in the UEFA Cup when his ban expires and he regains full fitness.

Portuguese outfit Maritimo stand in their way and the first leg is in Madeira a week tomorrow.

Rae said: “I’ve got friends in Portugal who contacted me when the draw was made to say it will be a tough tie.

“Maritimo signed a few players over the summer, including ex-Benfica and Porto guys, so the quality will be there.”

Also present will be his ex-Wolves team-mate Silas, who was loaned out after failing to make an impact at Molineux.