Robin Propper was sent off for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after just 12 minutes in Rangers' Europa League quarter-final first leg tie against Athletic Bilbao.
The defender was initially cautioned for a foul on Inaki Williams on the edge of the box.
However, after a VAR review, referee Istvan Kovacs changed his decision to produce a straight red card for Propper.
AND IT'S A RED CARD 🟥 After a lengthy VAR check, Robin Propper is sent off, as Rangers are reduced to 10-men 😱 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Va3DowpuA6
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 10, 2025
Had the foul been inside the box, then Propper would only have been shown a yellow card rather than a red.
The centre-back, one of six changes from the loss to Hibernian, was attempting to play the ball but got his challenge all wrong as he clearly connected with Williams.
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IFAB rules state that the denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity outside the box must result in a red card.
The rule are different, though, if a foul is made inside the box. Should a player commit a foul while attempting to play the ball in the box in a goal-scoring opportunity, then a yellow card is deemed sufficient.
IFAB laws on sending-off offences state: "denying a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent whose overall movement is towards the offender’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick (unless as outlined below)".
Guidelines on when a foul is committed inside the box read: "Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offender is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball or a challenge for the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.), the offending player must be sent off."
