17/04/2025 15:55
Kris Boyd was in total disbelief after Rangers were on the wrong end of a hugely controversial moment against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.
Despite going down to 10 men in the first leg of the quarter-finals thanks to Robin Propper, the Light Blues were able to head to Spain with every chance of advancing to the next round on Thursday, 17 April.
It was a tough start to proceedings at the San Mames Barria Stadium, with the La Liga giants getting the majority of chances to open the lead, but it was Cyriel Dessers who was the hardest done by.
The 30-year-old striker was brought to the ground inside the penalty area, with a noticeable hole ripped in the middle of his shirt, leaving him dumbfounded by the referee’s decision not to award a spot-kick.
With VAR not intervening following the incident, Boyd could not understand why the penalty had not been given and argued further after Dessers was booked for arguing his case on the sidelines.
Cyriel Dessers stunned after Rangers miss out on penalty v Athletic Bilbao
Speaking live on Sky Sports News (17 April, 8.20pm), Boyd said: “It’s a disgrace. The three of us have looked at it and said it’s a stonewall penalty. Cyriel Dessers has had to go off and change his shirt.
“It was a slack pass, but Dessers managed to turn and got away from him, the goalkeeper’s coming out, and [Daniel] Vivian just pulls his shirt. It’s ripped right across the middle.
“I cannot believe for the life of me why that has not been given as a penalty kick, not even sent to the monitor, the referee. Honestly, that is a terrible decision.
“[Dessers] has got a new shirt on now, he actually got booked for coming on the pitch before he had his shirt on, so he’s got a yellow card and it was a stonewall penalty. Incredible.
“Just ripped the full shirt right across the middle, never even gets sent to the monitor.”
Barry Ferguson to fume as Rangers suffer from VAR blunder
Football Insider verdict
With Barry Ferguson likely fighting to keep his role at Rangers on a permanent basis, an early goal against Bilbao could have made all the difference as the Gers were pressured throughout the night.
However, rather ironically, it was the home side who took the lead from the penalty spot after the returning John Souttar made a clumsy challenge in the box.
While Liam Kelly, who continues to deputise for Jack Butland in between the sticks, was a hero in the first leg, he was unable to produce the goods a second time as Oihan Sancet scored from 12 yards.
With the Scottish Premiership title race over, and won by Celtic a rather long time ago, the entire season hinged on the Europa League, but it was an incredible set of blows in just 45 minutes of football.
Boyd, along with all the supporters, has every right to be frustrated and furious with the referee’s decision against Dessers, and then again with the VAR, but there was nothing that could be done.
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