Rangers to appeal

Rangers are insistent that goalkeeper Allan McGregor had been the victim of an injustice after UEFA banned him for two European matches.

They pledged to appeal against the ban which, as it stands, will keep McGregor out of both legs of the UEFA Cup last-16 tie against Osasuna.

The club have accepted McGregor’s word that he did not make contact with Hapoel Tel Aviv player Luciano de Bruno, who collapsed as if head-butted during last Thursday’s 4-0 defeat for the Israeli side at Ibrox, a result which carried Rangers through to the last 16.

However UEFA’s control and disciplinary body examined the limited video footage of the clash, which occurred while Rangers were celebrating their third goal, before making their judgement.

And after seeing the images, UEFA yesterday opted to back the decision taken by referee Matteo Trefeloni and his assistant Luca Maggiani at Ibrox.

Unless Rangers succeed in their appeal, McGregor will miss the matches against Spanish side Osasuna on March 8 and 14.

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain said: “On receiving notification of Allan’s two-match ban our immediate reaction was to appeal. We will now do so within three days in line with UEFA guidelines.”

McGregor has accused De Bruno of “blatant cheating” by throwing himself to the floor, although the television pictures which have been made public have proven inconclusive.

McGregor maintains he made no contact with De Bruno, however Rangers may have to make plans to cope without the Scottish 25-year-old shot-stopper, who has established himself as the Ibrox number one this season.

German veteran Stefan Klos, a long-serving member of the Rangers squad, could return to the first team on Sunday in the Bank of Scotland Premier League match against Hibernian.

Although McGregor is available, 35-year-old Klos would undoubtedly benefit from first-team experience ahead of the European ties. McGregor will certainly miss next week’s home leg, whatever the outcome of Rangers’ appeal.

“It’s a decision we will mull over this week,” Rangers manager Walter Smith told www.rangers.co.uk.

“We are in an awkward position because Stefan has only just come back from injury and has had very little match practice in recent weeks.”