Rangers defender Bruno Alves puts himself on red alert for Celtic clash

HE has a history of taking early baths in derby games.

But Rangers star Bruno Alves insists he won’t hold himself back when his Old Firm baptism comes around.

Fiery centre-half Alves has seen red in high-stakes clashes in his native Portugal, Russia and Turkey – and on international duty.

At 35, he is shrewd enough not to want a repeat when Celtic visit Ibrox a week on Saturday.

But Alves is a player who relishes the passion of big occasions and he is ready to dive in – feet first if required.

“I have had some red cards in these games,” said the Portuguese.

“I have been sent off. In Portugal I had one in Porto-Benfica, in Russia I had one in Zenit v. Spartak Moscow, which is also a big derby, and two times in derby matches with Fenerbahce.

“I don’t want to repeat that because it is not good to leave the team with 10 players in such a really important game.

“But I think these are the best games for me. You need to fight but you also need to play.

“Sometimes the game is very rough, very hard, and you can’t play so much – sometimes it is more like a battle.

“But I expect both – quality AND passion from the Old Firm game.

“Of course, when you are more mature, you understand the situation a bit more, but when these games are so passionate, sometimes things that you don’t want to happen do happen.

“It is difficult to explain.

“For me, what I always think is that you need to give your best. If you give your best, the fans will always support you.

“Because this is what the game asks – if you give your best, everyone can see that you are trying.

“If people see that you are working hard and giving your best, even if you are sent off, or there are some mistakes, then they will forgive you.”

Alves was joined in Glasgow by his wife and children after the international break.

He expects their arrival to make his life in Scotland easier – at least away from football.

Yet doing well on the pitch remains his primary focus, firstly for Rangers and then for his country.

Alves is just six caps short of a century for Portugal.

By helping the Gers in their mission to close the gap on Celtic, he hopes he can reach his century at next year’s World Cup in Russia.

He said: “Of course I need to do well for Rangers. But that was one of the reasons I decided to move to Scotland.

“Rangers are a big team and this allows me to compete and hopefully stay in the national team.

“There is big motivation to be here, to win, and to fight for titles.

“It was important to win the European Championships as it put Portugal on a different level.

“In the World Cup, we need to qualify first. After that we can think about what we need to do.”