Old Firm baptism surprised me as it was so positive and beautiful, says former Rangers star Sergio Porrini

RANGERS could hand up to nine players their Old Firm debuts at Ibrox on Saturday.

Bruno Alves, Ryan Jack, Graham Dorrans, Alfredo Morelos, Daniel Candeias, Fabio Cardoso are all likely starters for the season’s first encounter with Celtic.

And waiting in the wings are fellow summer arrivals Carlos Pena, Eduardo Herrera and Declan John.

It is a situation which strikes a chord with Sergio Porrini, the Champions League winner who, 20 years ago, joined the Light Blues in a similar raft of signings under Walter Smith.

Signings who went on to take part in a memorable win against the Hoops in the opening derby of a campaign which promised so much, yet ultimately delivered so little.

“There were quite a few of us new to it back then, too,” he said.

“We had our wee Italian contingent – myself, Rino Gattuso, Marco Negri and Lorenzo Amoruso, who stuck together.

“The club had also brought in some other foreign players – Jonas Thern, Stale Stensaas and Tony Vidmar.

“So for all of us the first meeting with Celtic was something we were hugely looking forward to.

“Lorenzo was injured so was always going to miss out. But myself, Rino and Marco knew we would play and that we would be expected to make a big contribution.

“When the day came it was great. It was really exciting, the best introduction to the derby I could have wished for.

“We won 1-0 with Richard Gough scoring the winner to send the stadium wild – I will never, ever forget what it was like there that day.

“From outside Ibrox seemed just like a big building. But, once I went through those famous wooden doors, I remember getting the shivers at all the history and tradition.

“And, of course, the fans were exceptional.

“I knew that the supporters of both two teams were considered to be among the most passionate and intense in Europe.

“However, what I saw and felt when I played in the derby surprised me, because it was so positive. It was all beautiful.”

The Italian’s choice of word is an unusual one. The fixture is widely praised for its passion and its intensity, beauty not so much.

“To be honest, I believe foreigners coming into the match have an advantage because they can focus exclusively on the footballing aspects of the match,” said Porrini, now a fourth division coach in his homeland with AC Crema.

“Players coming in from Glasgow or just Scotland have other things to think about.

“They will have so many family and friends who will be followers of the clubs.

“It is a big rivalry, where those on the winning side always enjoy the superiority it gives them over their colleagues or friends who support the other team.

“And then there is the city pride with Rangers and Celtic traditionally supported by their respective communities in Glasgow.

“As with many things in life, I think this situation has positives and negatives.

“Players who were brought up as Rangers and Celtic supporters are able to relish the victories more.

“At the same time the defeats are going to hurt more.

“I felt back then, going into the match fresh, without the memories of previous derbies, or the pressure from those close to us was an advantage to us.

“We relished the atmosphere and just went out and played the game and not the occasion.

“I would think it will be the same in this match for the new players Rangers have brought in to the club.

“Several of them – certainly Bruno Alves – will have had experience of playing in huge matches and for big prizes.

“The question here might be how well they are allowed to play, because they are up against a Celtic team who have forgotten what it is like to lose against Scottish opponents.

“To go through a whole domestic season is a rare achievement, one which draws attention not just in our own country, but throughout the footballing world.

“But as I know only too well, nothing lasts forever – in life or in sport.

“The Rangers team which we joined had just won the championship nine times-in-a-row and were attempting to break Celtic’s record by making it 10.

“But, of course, after that first derby win, it certainly was not a good season for us.

“We did not win anything and we were soon eliminated on the European front.

“It made me very sad. Having invested heavily in Italian stock, Rangers were entitled to say they must have got the bad vintage.

“To be fair to Lorenzo, he was injured throughout 1997-98 and did make a big contribution when he got fit again. I remember the club gave him his debut in a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic, I think the following season, and they won.

“In football is there is always change and we cannot know how the new players at Rangers will perform in the derby until next weekend.”

If Celtic are dominant domestically, at the very top level it is a different story with last Tuesday night’s 5-0 humbling at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the first of their Champions League group games, a reminder of how far they still have to travel.

The comprehensive nature of the loss prompted comparisons with a Rangers defeat back in 1995 when the Light Blues went down 4-0 at home to a Juventus side which included one Sergio Porrini and went on to win the Champions League.

“We were a really strong team, full of great elements and some real champions,” said the Italian.

“Among others we had Alessandro Del Piero, Luca Vialli, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Antonio Conte – who is now the Chelsea manager.

“Of course, back then I had no idea I would one day end up playing for Rangers.

“The thing that struck me most was the incredible atmosphere supplied by the supporters.

“Even at 4-0 down they were still urging their team on as if it was the first minute and still 0-0 with everything possible for them.

“I particularly remember at that point a player winning the ball with a strong tackle, the stadium exploded as if they had scored.

“I was really, really impressed – it left me speechless.

“When I came home I told my girlfriend (who is now my wife) about it and said I had never experienced anything like it in all my years playing.

“I can see the comparisons because Paris are definitely one of the teams who have a chance to win the Champions League this season.

“They have invested very well and we will see in the spring how they match up against the likes or Real Madrid and Barcelona.

“Every year though, the strong are getting stronger and they are in that group. The European Super-League already exists.

“We saw that with Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Juve. It is early yet and the Bianconeri have time to regroup and recover.

“The same applies to Celtic who, like the new Rangers players, will be looking forward to the derby.”