Astounded by the reactions of certain Rangers fans defending Ianis Hagi’s red card incident, Michael Stewart expressed his bewilderment. The Romanian midfielder, making his long-awaited return to the first-team at Ibrox, was sent off just 35 minutes into the game against St Johnstone for a tackle that earned him a booking initially but was later upgraded by VAR to a red card after review. Despite the setback, Rangers managed to hold on for the victory and maintain a five-point gap with league leaders Celtic and Aberdeen.
Reflecting on Rangers’ performance on the Scottish Football Social Club, Stewart described it as nothing outstanding but acknowledged that they got the job done, which can be crucial for building momentum going forward. However, he was taken aback by the immediate defenses he heard from some fans in the stands, claiming that a Celtic player would not have been sent off for a similar offense.
In response to the incident, former Rangers player Alan Hutton noted that Hagi’s challenge was rash and likely stemmed from not playing consistently, leading to a lack of sharpness. Despite the disappointment of the red card, Hutton was pleased to see Hagi back on the pitch and expressed hope for his improved performance in the future.
