Rangers manager Philippe Clement launched a scathing attack on VAR official Alan Muir after his side’s heart-wrenching penalty shootout defeat to Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final.
Clement expressed his disbelief that referee John Beaton was not instructed to review a controversial incident involving Vaclav Cerny and Celtic substitute Liam Scales during extra time.
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Rangers lost 5-4 on penalties after an enthralling 3-3 draw over 120 minutes at Hampden Park. Speaking in his post-match press conference, Clement did not hold back his frustration over the lack of VAR intervention.
“I don’t know if you saw the images back, but my phone is overloaded with the penalty situation with Cerny,” Clement said.
“I get hundreds of messages now about that. That’s also a really decisive moment in the game.
“Of course, he [Beaton] cannot see that moment. But he didn’t get the communication from the VAR to come to watch the screen, which for me is a really weird situation. At least there’s no look at that kind of situation in this kind of game.
“It’s clear for everybody it’s a game-decisive decision. I hope that you guys [the media] dig into that and find out why there was no communication about such an important moment.”
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Rangers opened the scoring through Nedim Bajrami, who capitalised on a rebound to give the Ibrox faithful hope of glory.
But Celtic turned the tide in the second half with a deflected strike from Greg Taylor and a Daizen Maeda goal.
Mohamed Diomande equalised for Rangers, and Nicolas Kuhn looked to have secured the trophy late on, only for Danilo to rescue Celtic with a last-gasp header to force extra time.
In the penalty shootout, Ridvan Yilmaz missed the decisive spot kick, allowing Celtic to seal the win. Clement defended Yilmaz, praising his courage to step up under pressure.
“There are a lot of big names in world football who missed penalties,” Clement said.
“Ridvan took responsibility, and he’s been excellent in training. Penalties are part of football, and they can be incredibly cruel.”
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Clement highlighted a missed opportunity during a four-on-one counterattack when Rangers were leading 1-0.
“It’s a massive one,” he admitted. “If Hamza [Igamane] slows down and gives this ball, then it’s impossible to defend. That was a crucial point in the game.”
Despite the loss, Clement took pride in his team’s performance and the fight they showed throughout the match.
“My team deserved more today, creating more chances than the opponent. We’re getting better and better, and that’s our ambition now. It’s a big blow not to have this trophy, but we must use this as motivation to keep improving.”
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Clement urged his players to remain focused and maintain their hunger for success.
“It’s about digging in and continuing to work hard. The fans see what the players are giving for the club, and that’s what we need to build on. Good times will come back.”
While Rangers left Hampden empty-handed, the determination shown by Clement’s side offers hope for the battles ahead in the league and Europe.