Irfan Peljto will referee the Europa League match between Athletic Bilbao and Rangers.
The whistler, 40, has been appointed as the man in the middle for the crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg tie on Thursday.
It will be the second time he referees a match involving Rangers - with major controversy in the first.
A colossal blow to Rangers! 😬 After a VAR review, a penalty is awarded against Connor Goldson for hand ball and Union double their lead 🖐️ pic.twitter.com/2uNWAHNOjI
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) August 2, 2022
Peljto refereed the match between Union Saint-Gilloise and Rangers back in 2022 in Champions League qualifying. Rangers lost the match 2-0.
However, one of the goals came after a controversial decision to award a penalty to the hosts after an alleged handball by Connor Goldson.
A shot from the edge of the box deflected off Ben Davies and onto the arm of Goldson from very close range.
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The decision was panned after the fact with Peljto slaughtered for sticking to his call after being advised to review the incident at the pitchside monitor.
IFAB rules, which had only recently been changed, read: “Exceptions, e.g the player’s arm is already extended when there is no expectation of the ball coming at, or near, the player from a team-mate.”
Pundit Ally McCoist said of the incident: “It was an absolutely terrible decision.
“Are these people for real? You’re looking at it and who in their right mind thinks that’s a penalty?
“It baffled me, absolutely baffled me.
“If he’d seen it in normal time and given it, I’d have given him a bit more space and leeway.
"But when you go over to a monitor and look at, and still give it? It’s mental.”
