Rangers held Athletic Club to a 0-0 draw at Ibrox in the Europa League, despite being reduced to 10 men early in the match. The sending-off of Robin Propper was a contentious decision, with Ally McCoist disagreeing with the call.
The VAR system was heavily involved in the second half, with Dujon Sterling being penalized for a handball in the build-up to an Athletic goal that was ruled out. However, many felt that the penalty was incorrectly awarded, with Sterling’s back to the ball and no clear intention to handle it.
Keith Jackson, a journalist for the Daily Record, was scathing in his criticism of the decision, calling it a “disgrace” and suggesting that the officials were trying to find ways to make the original goal stand.
Despite the challenges, Rangers’ interim manager Barry Ferguson was proud of his team’s defensive performance, particularly after going down to 10 men. The Ibrox faithful will be confident heading into the second leg in Bilbao, despite not being favorites.
However, Rangers will be concerned about fitness issues, with Sterling being stretchered off and several players serving suspensions. The return of John Souttar and Mohamed Diomande could provide a boost, but Ferguson will still have decisions to make regarding the starting lineup.
