Ally McCoist baffled by controversial Rangers footage v Athletic Club – ‘Ask anybody’
Rangers are hanging onto the potential magic of their Europa League journey as their sole respite this season.
Having already overcome Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce after an impressive league phase campaign, Rangers were pitted against Basque giants Athletic Club in the quarter-finals.
The first leg at Ibrox (10 April) brought a deafening Govan atmosphere as the players emerged from the tunnel – but within a mere 13 minutes, Robin Propper was heading straight back to the dressing room.
Ally McCoist delivers ‘harsh’ take as Rangers star walks
McCoist wasted no time in delivering his verdict from a Rangers perspective as Propper was sent off by Romanian referee Istvan Kovac, following a VAR check.
Propper was initially shown a yellow card, as both he and Leon Balogun lunged in on Inaki Williams as he spun on the half-turn.
The Dutchman made the contact which saw a free-kick awarded, but after the review, Propper was sent off, forcing Barry Ferguson and Gers to play 77 minutes with a numerical disadvantage.
McCoist admitted that by the “letter of the law”, it probably veered into red-card territory, but urged a “common-sense” approach to be taken.
He said live on TNT Sports (10 April, 20:11): “The answer to the question [of a goalscoring opportunity] is yes. That’s harsh. That’s really harsh. That’s a big, big call.”
After the red card was brandished, he added: “By the letter of the law, it’s probably correct. But you ask anybody who has played the game at any level whatsoever whether that should be a red card – the answer will be emphatically no.
“I think it’s a lack of common sense by the officials. We all understand it, but in common-sense terms, it’s wrong.”
Ferguson already reeling from suspensions
Ferguson has already suffered a blow ahead of part one of the quarter-final tie against Rangers’ La Liga opponents.
Mohamed Diomande and John Souttar have both been forced to miss out on the first leg, having accumulated the required total of three bookings for a one-match ban.
| Rangers – fixtures in next seven days | Date |
| Aberdeen (A) – Scottish Premiership | 13 April |
| Athletic Club (A) – Europa League QF 2L | 17 April |
The Light Blues will welcome the return of the duo in Bilbao next week, but will now be without Propper for one European match, as is the punishment for a last-man foul, even after a straight red.
However, if there is one environment Rangers can defy whatever odds there are, it’s in the Europa League.
Alongside the Light Blues, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are also British competitors vying to lift the trophy – in Bilbao no less – in six weeks.