Rangers’ Europa League dream was ended in Spain last night — but for many fans, the 2-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao will be remembered just as much for the refereeing decisions as for the result.
Barry Ferguson was left furious after his side were denied what looked like two stonewall penalties. The first came when Cyriel Dessers had his shirt pulled inside the box by Yeray Alvarez. The second, even more blatant, involved a handball in the area following a Rangers effort at goal. On both occasions, Bosnian referee Irfan Peljto and his VAR team did nothing.
Now, Ibrox Insider can’t help but ask — why on earth was Peljto even in charge of a European quarter-final in the first place? This isn’t a case of sour grapes. This is a matter of serious concern around UEFA’s standards and appointments.
Let’s look at the facts.
Earlier this season, Peljto was banned for six matches by his own Football Association after a horror performance in the Bosnian derby between Zrinjski Mostar and Borac Banja Luka. In that one game alone, he missed three key decisions, including two penalties and a foul that directly led to a goal. The Bosnian FA’s own refereeing committee admitted he got it badly wrong — so much so that they suspended not only Peljto but also his entire VAR team.
Yet somehow, that same referee was deemed fit to officiate one of the biggest games of Rangers’ season?
You couldn’t make it up.
Let’s not forget, Peljto also has previous history with Rangers. He was the man in the middle for the controversial Champions League qualifier against Union St Gilloise back in 2022, when he awarded a penalty against Connor Goldson for a dubious handball. It was a decision that baffled fans at the time — and again contributed to a damaging result.
So here we are, years later, asking the same questions.
What is UEFA doing appointing referees who are not trusted in their own countries to handle matches of this magnitude? This isn’t a knock-out in the Conference League — this was a Europa League quarter-final, with huge implications for the club, the players, and the supporters.
Rangers deserved better. Not just from the team — but from the officials too.
If UEFA wants to protect the integrity of its competitions, then it’s time they started listening. Referees who can’t get decisions right domestically, and who have been formally punished for it, have no place on the European stage.
We’re not asking for favours — we’re just asking for a level playing field.
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