The Romanian popped up with the opener just seven minutes into the clash at Ibrox to set them on their way to an emphatic 3-0 victory over their rivals as they began the new year in style.
Speaking to the media to react to the win, the midfielder reflected on his full circle moment having been injured in previous seasons and not being involved in Philippe Clement’s first team at the start of the campaign before becoming a regular in the side once again in recent weeks.
He said: “It is definitely special, it just shows that it's not just in my case but just in general football players around the world, young players coming out from academies, football is not just all fun and it will all go perfect.
“It is part of a football player's career and as long as they respect football, they love what they do and they train 100 per cent no matter the situation, things will some way or the other it will sort out for them.
“I am obviously an example of that recently, but I have been through situations, even though I am 26 it is probably my 10th or 11th season at the senior level.
“I have been captain of a team when I was 16/17, I am one of the captains with the national team.
“I have been through a lot until this age and thankfully I am mature enough to understand certain situations in football and the business part of it.
“Football gives you back, having my family over not just my dad here with me for the past few days.
“Three days ago I wasn't able to get out of bed, I was really sick, couldn't help the team and then football just kind of sorts things out.
“It was the right afternoon for me, for myself and the team. I think everything clicked and obviously, personally I am happy but as a team as a whole, we are happy that we got the win and we had a consistent game, because that is probably what we are working at the most right now.
“It is definitely a nice feeling getting your first goal in an Old Firm game and me being an attacking player you want to get that especially when you play these Old Firm games.
“Was I thinking of it or was it in the back of my head, not exactly, I just take every moment as it comes.
“I think everybody knows me a little bit more, I am a player who likes to play for my attacking players.
“I like assisting more than scoring, but that doesn't take away that I know my qualities and I know that I can shoot from outside the box, I am going to keep doing that when the opportunities are there.”
The Gers will quickly turn their attentions to a trip to Easter Road to take on Hibs this weekend as their busy schedule continues, and the 26-year-old says they must now strive for a positive run of results as a team.
He added: “I think the perfect word for us right now is consistency, no one can deny that we didn't really have that throughout the season up until now.
“We are a team obviously that can hit these type of heights and we need to do that consistently and everybody knows that in the dressing room.
“We have a game in three days and that is the right opportunity to go again and show that we can hit these heights every three days.
“Every win helps you psychologically, obviously winning an Old Firm game it is totally different, but consistency for us is the main thing.
“We are trying to do that and that is the focus right now, I know it is really important to win Old Firm games but at this moment it is in the past.
“We have a game in three days and I think everybody knows that we have to be consistent and do that every three days.”