Celtic icon lambasts huge Rangers call - 'my wife couldn’t believe what was happening to them'

Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has expressed sympathy for Rangers after their Champions League exit earlier this month - and believes the referee who sent off Jefte in their 2-0 defeat by Dynamo Kyiv should get a new profession.

Rangers' hopes of getting through the qualifiers in Europe's premier competition were ended last week when they were defeated by the Ukrainians. Following a 1-1 draw in Lublin, the tie was delicately poised at Hampden until Brazilian defender Jefte was a shown a controversial second yellow card by referee Marco Guida when challenging Oleksandr Karavaiev for an aerial ball. Reduced to ten men, Rangers ended up losing 2-0 and will now compete in the Europa League.

Strachan, a self-confessed Celtic "sympathiser" who managed the club between 2005 and 2009, said the decision was so blatantly incorrect that even his wife was questioning it. The Italian official was heavily criticised for his actions, with Rangers boss Philippe Clement labelling it one of the worst calls he has seen in his career.

Rangers defender Jefte was sent off by referee Marco Guida against Dynamo Kyiv. | SNS Group

“What happened to Rangers in the Champions League was incredibly unfortunate," said Strachan. "The red was the most ludicrous, and I mean ludicrous thing that I’ve seen in a while. I can completely understand why Philippe was so angry. I was sitting with Mrs Strachan, because she knows the game, watching it. After watching more than 2,000 live games of football, she knows the game. She couldn’t believe what was happening to Rangers!”

“The posturing from the referee afterwards. It was like he was thinking ‘I've got this spot on, why are you speaking to me?’ Why are we speaking to you? Because it's ludicrous. That referee should pick up another profession after that. He really should do something else, something that people can really hate you for."

Strachan, who managed Rangers boss Philippe Clement at Coventry, couldn’t hide his disappointment for his former player. “I was devastated for them, and for the players, who put in a great performance in the first leg," added the 67-year-old when speaking to Lord Ping. "The sending off had a massive impact on the result and now they will have to contend with a place in the Europa League. I know I’m a Celtic sympathiser, but how could any football fan not feel for them when you get a decision like that in such an important game. I know the feeling and it’s not nice."