Sparta urge fans to reject racism in Rangers clash as boss issues impassioned plea to send 'right signal'

Sparta boss Brian Priske has issued an impassioned plea as he urged the Prague support to reject racism as they host Rangers on Thursday night.

Tensions in the Czech capital are running high as the Ibrox side prepare to return to the city on Europa League duty. And Now Priske has sent out a clear message as he looks to avoid a repeat of the disgraceful scenes witnesses at the Aetna Stadium two years ago.

The clubs’ last showdown in September 2021 was marred when Ibrox ace Glen Kamara – the victim of a racial slur during a clash against Sparta’s city rivals Slavia six months earlier –found himself targeted again from the stands. The match should have been staged in front of an empty stadium as part of the punishment UEFA issued following reports of racist chanting among the Sparta support. But European football’s governing body opted to water down that penalty when they allowed the Czechs to welcome 10,000 youngsters in through the turnstiles.

But that decision only proved to inflame the situation further when the fresh-faced crowd jeered Kamara’s every touch before the frustrated former Gers midfielder was sent off late in the 1-0 defeat. Now with former Slavia ace Abdallah Sima set to run out against his old rivals, Priske has called on his support to send out a string message amid fears the winger could be the next to be targeted.

He said: “First of all I think it’s important to stay in the present, to keep looking ahead and not to look back on what happened some years ago or where some players have played. I’m not sure that’s important.

“What I think is definitely important is a message from me, not just to our fans but also to the fans of Rangers. We all know what happened some years ago, so I think it’s