The Daily Record reports that Rangers are likely to face severe punishment from UEFA after a bottle was thrown towards Bayer Leverkusen players on Thursday night.
A packed Ibrox took in the first leg Europa League last 16 tie against the in-form German club, creating an atmosphere that moved opposition coach, Peter Bosz, to thank the supporters for the experience [Bayer 04 Leverkusen Twitter].
However, the senseless decision by one fan to throw a bottle towards the celebrating Leverkusen players after their third goal could well end up costing the club.
It seems it was hurled in the direction of the goalscorer, Leon Bailey, but picked up by winger, Moussa Diaby.
The future of this season’s competition is currently unclear amid coronavirus fears, but despite all the upheaval, this incident is unlikely to be forgotten about.
The Record report suggests that after section closures earlier on in the competition for sectarian singing, Rangers can expect to be ‘hammered’ by the governing body for this latest misdemeanour.
It’s a real shame that an excellent run from the club in Europe could be marred by an unsavoury incident such as this, which could have repercussions for the 2020/21 European season.
For now, all the club can do is await updates from UEFA regarding both the future of the current campaign and any potential punishment for the bottle throw.
Much more should be known on the former following a discussion of European football’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, which is scheduled for next Tuesday [UEFA.com]
