Rangers are preparing to face Celtic in the second Old Firm derby of the Scottish Premiership season in front of a full-house of Ibrox fans.
The pressure is on Philippe Clement to record his first win over Celtic in what will be his seventh attempt, with the outcome should he fail to do so not worth thinking about for the Rangers manager.
Rangers find themselves 14 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership table and anything but victory will surely spell the end for the 50-year-old in Glasgow.
The pressure is always on the match officials in the Old Firm derby and now the SPFL have confirmed the refereeing team for the clash at Ibrox.
Referee & VAR confirmed for Rangers v Celtic
Don Robertson will be the match referee for the match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox.
The whistler will take charge of what should be the final Old Firm derby without away fans inside the ground, as Rangers prepare to take a 5% allocation for March’s visit to Celtic Park.
David Roome and Ross McLeod will be the referee’s assistant at Ibrox but all eyes will be on the VARs to get the big calls right.
Celtic have seen the bulk of the VAR calls against Rangers go in their favour, with the Ibrox side incensed after Vaclav Cerny was denied a penalty in the Premier Sports Cup defeat at Hampden.
Nick Walsh will be the VAR for the clash at Ibrox with Daniel McFarlane the AVAR and there is big pressure on both officials to get the big calls correct.
Referees under huge Old Firm pressure
The conversation surrounding referees has marred the Old Firm fixture for the last few seasons, with Celtic benefitting from forensic analysis of decisions which benefit Rangers.
With several big calls going in the Parkhead side’s favour, Rangers bit back against the SFA after the penalty that never was at Hampden.
After both VAR officials involved in the decision were swiftly reinstated by Willie Collum, Rangers released a scathing statement with plenty of pressure on the officials at Ibrox as a result.
The statement reads:
”Rangers FC has contacted the Scottish FA to express serious concerns and ask several questions regarding the swift reinstatement of the two VAR officials involved in the officiating failure during the recent Premier Sports Cup Final.
“We also note one of the officials has been appointed to an SPFL Premiership match involving the club that benefitted from the error.
“The Scottish FA’s actions raise questions about their commitment to improving officiating standards and fostering accountability.
”While Rangers FC fully respects the independence of officiating appointments and the need for referees to operate without interference, how the Scottish FA handles such high-profile failures directly affects its credibility and public confidence.
”The decision to reinstate the officials so quickly, and in particular for a fixture involving the club which benefited from the mistake in question, has drawn widespread media scrutiny on the officiating failure and officials concerned.
”This was both predictable and avoidable, and contradicts any stated duty of care from the Scottish FA towards their match officials.
“Mistakes do happen in football, and how they are addressed matters enormously. We would urge the Scottish FA to demonstrate its desire to improve the quality and consistency of officiating and to do so in a transparent manner.
“We are not seeking to challenge the authority of the Scottish FA or the integrity or independence of match officials, but to encourage improved standards and accountability.
“This is not about influence. It is about good governance.
”Rangers FC expects tangible steps to be taken and remains committed to holding the Scottish FA accountable in the interests of the game.”
