Jose Cifuentes offered Rangers red card sympathy as VAR told stars don't tackle like 'ballerinas' in scathing blast

Jose Cifuentes has been told he got on the wrong side of VAR as his Rangers red card is appealed.

The controversial refereeing tech and whistler Kevin Clancy came under fire on Saturday after a string of incidents in the first half of a 3-1 home win at Ibrox over Dundee. Aaron Donnelly was deemed to have pulled Abdallah Sima's shirt as James Tavernier was awarded and scored a penalty, while Cifuentes was sent packing after a second look at his challenge on Amadou Bakayoko.

Rangers are now appealing the decision ahead of Sunday's Viaplay Cup final with Aberdeen. Former Dundee defender Lee Wilkie reckons NEITHER call was correct and that throws up more VAR questions. He wrote in the Courier: "I agree wholeheartedly with Tony Docherty on VAR re-refereeing incidents. It’s a blight on the game right now and both Dundee and Rangers were hard done by at the weekend. Docherty was right to bring up the impact of the referee being shown a still image of the situation by VAR.

"A still image or slow motion replay of any tackle or incident can tell you all sorts of things that didn’t really happen. Aaron Donnelly did pull Abdallah Sima’s shirt but the Rangers man had hold of the defender, too.

"I think Dundee were really hard done by on that one – and at a crucial part of the game. I have sympathy with Jose Cifuentes on the red card as well.

"That’s a clear example of slow motion or a still showing a tackle being much worse than it is in reality. Players don’t go into challenges like ballerinas, there has to be some force in any challenge. I just don’t like the way the game is going – tackling will soon be a no-no at this rate."

Rangers legend Barry Ferguson was also perplexed by Cifuentes' red. He added: "I don't think it is