Alious
Rangers’ goalless draw against Athletic Bilbao at Ibrox on Thursday night was overshadowed by a disastrous moment of ill-judgment from defender Robin Propper — and BBC pundit Steven Thompson didn’t hold back in his scathing critique.
In what was meant to be a competitive yet balanced friendly, the La Liga visitors missed a penalty and were frustrated by a Rangers side that battled valiantly despite being reduced to 10 men early on. Propper was the man at the heart of the drama, and not in a good way.
Just 12 minutes into the match, Propper lunged into a clumsy challenge on Nico Williams. Initially shown a yellow card, the incident went under VAR review. After a second look, the referee upgraded it to a red, leaving Rangers a man down for the rest of the match. Thompson, speaking live on BBC Radio Scotland at 8:16pm, didn’t mince his words:
> “It’s a rubbish tackle. I agree it’s harsh at first glance, but Propper is the last man and Williams is winding up for a shot. That’s denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.”
With the red card confirmed, Rangers shifted to a 4-4-1 shape, defending deep and attempting to stay compact, forcing Bilbao out wide while limiting space through the middle. Despite the man disadvantage, Barry Ferguson’s side showed grit, even managing a few threatening counters, but their offensive potency was clearly blunted without a reliable outlet up top.
The fallout from Propper’s error is likely to stretch beyond just this result. Brought in from FC Twente for £1.5 million and touted as a calming, experienced presence at 31, Propper’s decision-making under pressure raised serious concerns. His rash challenge not only put Rangers under immense pressure for 78 minutes, but also highlighted why he may not be cut out for the demands of top-level competition.
His future at Ibrox is now under scrutiny. With crucial fixtures on the horizon — a trip to face Aberdeen on April 13 and the return leg against Bilbao on April 17 — Rangers cannot afford another moment of recklessness at the back. Some supporters are already calling for the club to cut ties with the Dutchman, whose mistake could have derailed more than just one match.
To Ferguson’s credit, he managed to maintain order in the chaos, guiding his side to a respectable 0-0 despite the numerical disadvantage. But the damage to Propper’s reputation may prove much harder to repair.
Alious
