Spanish journalist calls out ‘Incomprehensible’ Rangers v Bilbao controversy
Istvan Kovacs and VAR were at the heart of the controversy as Rangers welcomed Athletic Bilbao to Ibrox in the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday.
Robin Propper was sent off after 13 minutes of the first leg for a last-man challenge on Inaki Williams after a VAR review, with Maroan Sannadi missing out on a penalty in the second half.
Liam McLeod and the BBC studio insisted it was a penalty as footage replayed, but VAR allowed play to continue despite contact from Leon Balogun, with the striker booked for diving.
Despite playing with nine men for the final few minutes after Dujon Sterling went off injured, Rangers held on for a 0-0 draw to set up a huge second leg next week.
Spain reaction of rage from Rangers scenes
It wasn’t just Sannadi who was enraged by the decision, with Pavel Fernandez blown away that VAR didn’t intervene again at Ibrox.
The Spanish journalist, for Radio Marca and Gol, believes it was “incomprehensible” that a penalty wasn’t awarded to Bilbao for the collision.
He wrote on X: “Sannadi’s penalty is in limbo. The striker was clearly brought down by a knee.
“Kovacs gave him a yellow card for simulation. VAR’s failure to intervene is incomprehensible
“It’s a penalty.”
John Souttar return huge in Bilbao
Luckily for Rangers, Propper’s sending off could turn out to be a blessing.
The Dutch defender is a bombscare, and despite this one nervous moment from Balogun, fans would much rather the Nigerian in the starting line-up.
Souttar will return from suspension for the second leg, as will Mohamed Diomande, and both will likely go straight into the side for Barry Ferguson.
| Rangers | Suspensions |
| Robin Propper | One Match |
| John Souttar and Mohamed Diomande | Available |
Spanish media can be unhappy all they like, but Bilbao got all of their luck at once when Sterling was somehow adjudged to have handled the ball for the penalty.
Alex Berenguer missed the spotkick after thinking he had opened the scoring, so maybe begging for another penalty wouldn’t have changed much in Glasgow.
It will be another backs-against-the-wall job in Bilbao next week, though, with a packed stadium, and Souttar must handle it much better than Propper did alongside Balogun.