Rangers star Kemar Roofe has been handed a four-match UEFA ban for a red card challenge on Slavia Prague goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar with the Gers given a £7.8k (€9) fine for “improper conduct of the team”.
The incident happened prior to the racial abuse dished out to Glen Kamara by Czech defender Ondrej Kudela in the match with Roofe seeing red for the clash.
The decision was posted on the official UEFA website.
Whilst there was clearly no malice in the challenge, the incident has been repeatedly poured over by Slavia in a string of disgraceful statements in the aftermath of the incident.
This pressure appears to have told on the European governing body, who’ve decided to ban the striker for the incident.
The decision will see him miss the first four matches of the Gers’ European campaign next season, with this set to be the first two rounds of Champions League qualification should two-legged affairs be reinstated.
This comes after Czech goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar accused the striker – who joined the Gers in the summer in a reported £3.5m move from Anderlecht – of going into the challenge deliberately.
“I read what he said. He said he was first to the ball, but he didn’t add that he kicked it out of my hand, collided with my leg and hit me on the head,” said Kolar [Glasgow Times]
“He saw me the whole time.
“Anyone who has ever kicked a ball knows that the foot can always be pulled down. It’s a game of football, it shouldn’t be about my health.
“If I ever met him again I’d say nothing. I’d wait for him to see if he apologised and asked about my health.
“I waited for Roofe to write me a message on Instagram for example. Instead, I read hate messages from Rangers fans, ‘he should have kicked your head in’…’he should have broken your spine.’
“I know things aren’t good between Slavia and Rangers right now, but that?
“I was disappointed that Roofe did not apologise through the media. I’m not vindictive, I don’t need him to give me something back, but he should think more because maybe the next time, he could ruin someone’s life.”
The bad blood continues to boil between the two clubs with Glen Kamara’s lawyer asking the authorities to charge Ondrej Kudela with the racist abuse.
