Ex-FIFA official blasts Nasser Djiga after what he was spotted doing in Rangers loss vs Club Brugge
Rangers suffered another chastening night in their Champions League qualifying campaign as they were beaten 6-0 by Club Brugge.
Russell Martin’s side were already facing a 3-1 deficit from the first leg, but were then handed a mountain to climb by Max Aarons’ early red card.
Rangers whimpered to a heavy defeat to Club Brugge, as pressure looks set to continue to build on the boss amid a disappointing start to the Premiership season.
Nasser Djiga played at the heart of a Gers defence that was opened up time and again in the defeat, and he has been singled out for specific criticism for a moment during the game.
Ibrox News presents the exclusive opinion of former Premier League and FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett.
Nasser Djiga blasted for ‘act of simulation’ in Club Brugge’s second goal
Djiga has struggled at Rangers so far following his loan move from Wolves earlier this summer.
The centre-back has looked inconsistent and error-prone, and that was highlighted on several occasions in the Gers’ final act in this year’s Champions League qualifiers.
Martin’s men found themselves 5-0 down at half-time of the second leg, as the gulf in quality between the two sides quickly became apparent just as it had at Ibrox last week.
- Rangers suffered a humiliating 9-1 defeat to Club Brugge across the two legs
- They conceded eight goals in the two first halves in the tie
- The hosts peppered the Rangers goal on Wednesday night, racking up over 30 shots in their resounding win
Set Pieces continued to provide an issue for the Govan outfit, and their efforts to defend dead-ball situations were found wanting yet again when Hans Vanaken headed home the hosts’ second of the night from a 32nd-minute corner.
Djiga was sent sprawling at the front post as the ball was delivered into the Rangers box, but appeals for a free-kick were swiftly waved away by referee Felix Zwayer.
Ex-FIFA official Keith Hackett believes that the man with the whistle made the correct call to wave away those appeals.
“There is a push, but the way the Rangers player went to ground was not very clever,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.
“That is why the referee saw it as an act of simulation.
“Play allowed to continue, and the goal was scored. It was poor defending by Rangers who were in disarray.”
Rangers should be concerned by Nasser Djiga’s actions
Djiga has had a difficult start at Rangers, and he has already come in for criticism from Michael Stewart recently for going to ground too easily in the victory over Alloa.
Martin’s side are having a difficult time defending their box in all situations at the moment, and the 22-year-old is continually letting them down when the moment comes to act resolutely under pressure.
The defender seems more intent on trying to buy free-kicks rather than stand up and be counted with his teammates, and that will surely be a huge concern to Martin.
Wednesday night’s display is the latest in a long line of shaky displays from the loanee, and it should have become clear to Martin that he cannot start in the Old Firm Derby at the weekend.
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