Rangers appeal Jose Cifuentes red card as midfielder gets fast track hearing over Viaplay Cup Final fate

Rangers have launched a bid to free Jose Cifuentes for Sunday’s Viaplay Cup Final by appealing the midfielder’s red card against Dundee.

The Ecuador international added to Philippe Clement’s selection headache when he was sent off after a VAR review in first half injury time at Ibrox on Saturday. Referee Kevin Clancy had originally booked Cifeuntes for catching Amadou Bakayoko late in a 50/50 challenge on the half way line.

But Clancy upgraded his original decision after being sent to the monitor by VAR Steven Kirkland. Now, after reviewing footage of the incident, Rangers have launched an appeal which will be heard by a fast track tribunal on Tuesday. And should the panel over rule the on-field decision then Cifuentes will be free to face Aberdeen at Hampden. Clement is already without crocked midfield trio Tom Lawrence, Nico Raskin and Ryan Jack as he prepares to contest the first silverware of the season.

The Belgian boss revealed after full-time on Saturday that his player insists he pulled out of the challenge with Bakayoko. Clement said: “Jose told me he lost the ball and wanted to win it back.

“He wanted to block the ball but the other guy is a split second faster and tackles through the ball, there’s contact. Jose tries to avoid it, he didn’t go through it, so I want to see things back to have a clear and good opinion so we can make an assessment the next few days.”

Dujon Sterling is an option to fill the midfield void after the defender replaced Cifuentes and produced an impressive 45 minutes in the engine room against Dee.