Liam Kelly the Hero as 10-Man Rangers Hold Bilbao in Controversial Europa League Clash
Liam Kelly was the standout hero as Rangers pulled off a remarkable 0-0 draw against Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night.
The Gers were down to 10 men for over 90 minutes after Robin Propper was shown a red card for a professional foul on Inaki Williams, following a VAR review.
That wasn’t the end of VAR drama either. After Alex Berenguer had a goal ruled out for offside, another VAR check saw Dujon Sterling penalised for handball inside the box.
Referee Istvan Kovacs awarded the penalty after reviewing the footage, but Kelly rose to the occasion, saving the spot-kick and preserving the draw.
UEFA Urged to Investigate Controversial Penalty Call
Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has called on UEFA to review the decision to award the penalty, questioning the clarity of the footage used.
“I’ve watched the clip multiple times and still don’t see clear evidence to support either the offside or the handball call,” Hackett told Ibrox News. “I suspect semi-automated offside tech was involved, but as for the handball, there’s no deliberate movement towards the ball from Sterling that I can see.”
Hackett believes the sequence should be looked at closely by UEFA to ensure clarity and fairness moving forward.
All to Play for in Bilbao
The result sets the stage for a thrilling second leg in Bilbao next Thursday. Rangers will be on high alert after a game full of VAR controversy, with the Spanish side quick to challenge every decision.
Rangers must dig deep again, with a place in the semi-finals — and a clash against Manchester United or Lyon — hanging in the balance. Interim boss Barry Ferguson, who also picked up a yellow card on the night, will be urging his side to show the same fight and focus in Spain.
Key Moments:
Propper red card – 13′
Sannadi penalty denied – 53′
Berenguer penalty missed – 81′
VAR and referee Kovacs under scrutiny
Ex-FIFA ref tells UEFA to investigate Rangers controversy v Bilbao as footage emerges
