Rangers have contacted the SFA regarding Celtic’s tackle that left Naderi’s ankle severely injured.

Rangers manager Derek McInnes has confirmed that the club contacted the Scottish FA to raise concerns over Mika Baur’s challenge on Ryan Naderi during last weekend’s match against Celtic.

The incident has continued to attract attention after Rangers striker Naderi was left with an ankle injury following the tackle. McInnes revealed that the player’s ankle was in a bad way after the challenge and admitted that the forward is now a doubt for Rangers’ upcoming fixture.

Derek McInnes has said Ryan Naderi’s ankle was left ‘a mess’ after a tackle from a Celtic player (Image: Shutterstock)

The Rangers boss also disclosed that club chief executive Jim Gillespie spoke directly with Willie Collum and the Scottish FA about the incident, after the challenge failed to result in either a yellow card or an on-field VAR review.

Rangers raise concerns with Scottish FA

According to McInnes, Rangers were unhappy with the way the incident was handled and decided to make their concerns known to the Scottish FA.

Gillespie reportedly contacted Collum following the match to discuss the challenge, with the club questioning why the incident did not lead to an on-field review.

Baur was not shown a card for the tackle, while VAR did not recommend that the referee revisit the decision on the pitch.

McInnes made it clear that Rangers were unhappy with what had happened to Naderi, particularly because the striker was subsequently left carrying an ankle problem.

The Rangers manager was keen, however, to avoid allowing the discussion surrounding refereeing decisions to dominate his preparations for the next game.

He explained that Gillespie had spoken with Collum and the Scottish FA because the club were “really not happy” with the challenge.

McInnes questions lack of VAR review

McInnes admitted that he was surprised the referee was not instructed to take another look at the challenge.

While the Rangers boss did not want to become overly focused on refereeing matters, he acknowledged that the decision-making surrounding the incident had left him puzzled.

He said he found it “strange” that the referee was not asked to review the tackle on the pitch.

The absence of an on-field review has become a major part of the discussion surrounding the incident, particularly because Naderi was subsequently affected by the challenge.

McInnes’ comments suggest that Rangers believe the tackle deserved greater scrutiny, although the manager stopped short of allowing the issue to become the central focus of his preparations.

Naderi’s ankle described as a mess

The biggest concern for Rangers is now the condition of Naderi himself.

McInnes described the striker’s ankle as “a mess” after the challenge and confirmed that the forward is one of two players whose availability is uncertain for Sunday’s match.

The Rangers boss described Baur’s challenge as poor and acknowledged that tackles of this nature can sometimes occur during football matches.

However, he also suggested that the incident did not look good when viewed afterwards.

“Ryan’s ankle is a mess, it was a mess, it was a poor challenge,” McInnes said.

He added that while challenges like this can happen during a game, this particular incident “didn’t look great” from his perspective.

The condition of Naderi’s ankle therefore remains a major concern for Rangers as they assess their squad ahead of the weekend.

Rangers waiting on striker’s fitness

Naderi’s potential absence could create an important selection issue for McInnes.

The striker has been involved in Rangers’ attacking plans, meaning his availability could have an impact on the team’s preparations for Sunday’s fixture.

McInnes confirmed that Naderi is one of two players who remain doubtful, although he did not provide a definitive timeline for the striker’s return.

The manager will now have to wait for further information on the injury before deciding whether Naderi can be included in the matchday squad.

For Rangers, the immediate priority will be assessing the extent of the ankle problem rather than continuing the argument over the referee’s decision.

McInnes avoids referee controversy

Despite expressing his surprise at the lack of a VAR review, McInnes repeatedly indicated that he did not want to become embroiled in a wider debate about refereeing.

The Rangers manager said he was not going to become “caught up in referee chat” and stressed that he did not want to get “bogged down” in discussions about officials.

His comments reflected a desire to acknowledge Rangers’ concerns without allowing the controversy to overshadow the team’s upcoming match.

Nevertheless, the fact that Gillespie contacted Collum and the Scottish FA shows the club took the matter seriously.

The Rangers hierarchy clearly wanted clarification over why the challenge did not result in an on-field review, particularly given the injury sustained by Naderi.

Baur challenge remains under scrutiny

The tackle from Celtic’s Baur will likely continue to be discussed by supporters on both sides following McInnes’ comments.

For Rangers, the issue is not simply the absence of a card but the effect the challenge had on one of their players.

Naderi’s ankle injury has now become the central concern, with the striker facing a race against time to prove his fitness for the weekend.

McInnes’ description of the challenge as “poor” has also made clear his view of the incident, while his admission that he was surprised by the lack of a VAR recommendation has added further attention to the decision.

However, the Rangers boss has made it clear that he does not intend to spend too much time discussing refereeing matters.

With another match approaching, McInnes will instead focus on his team’s preparations and await an update on Naderi’s fitness.

For now, Rangers have raised their concerns with the Scottish FA, while the condition of Naderi’s ankle remains the key issue following the controversial challenge.