Rumours

El delantero de 31 años, Vincenzo Iaquinta, que ha vivido una temporada plagada de lesiones y que será uno de los sacrificados por la Juventus el próximo verano, podría jugar en el Rangers de Glasgow la próxima temporada. Los Gers podrían ofrecer cuatro millones de euros para llevar a Glasgow al delantero calabrés.

Iaquinta pronto per i Rangers?

Mateus “Matty” Pattison, centrocampista de 24 años, internacional dos veces con Sudáfrica, está interesado en jugar en el Rangers. Aunque tuvo un paso por las islas en el Newcastle United y el Norwich City, Pattison juega desde agosto de 2009 en el Mamelodi Sundowns.

Rangers signing target Matthew Pattison has revealed he would love to join the club. “Rangers is a massive club with a great tradition, so it would be something I would have to look at".

 

 

 

 

Stephan Lichtsteiner, 27 años, internacional con Suiza (26 partidos internacionales), jugó la Eurocopa 2008. Ex jugador del Grassophers y del Lille francés, Juega de lateral derecho y puede abandonar su actual equipo, Societa Sportiva Lazio por el Glasgow Rangers si se produce el takeover del empresario Craig Whyte por el Rangers.

Rangers 0-0 Celtic

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor produced a superb penalty save to give the reigning champions a draw with Celtic and keep the title race alive. Steven Davis was ruled to have fouled Anthony Stokes, but McGregor pushed Georgios Samaras's late spot-kick wide.

The sides kept a lid on a potentially feisty derby during a lively first half that nevertheless produced few chances. Rangers' Kyle Lafferty flashed a header wide after the break, while McGregor also thwarted Daniel Majstorovic.

And the Scotland goalkeeper's penalty save prevented Celtic securing a victory that would have sent them to the top of the Scottish Premier League by two points with a game in hand.

The build-up to the game had been overshadowed by parcel bombs sent to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and two other prominent fans.

Walter Smith went into his final Old Firm game as Rangers manager hoping to even up the scores with Celtic having won three and lost two of the previous Glasgow derbies this season.

But an even game that ended both sides' five-match winning run concluded with Lennon the happier of the managers as his side will now win the title if they win all five of their remaining fixtures.

Smith had returned to the line-up that overcame Celtic in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final, with the exception of McGregor being preferred to Neil Alexander in goal.

That meant Gregg Wylde coming in for Kyle Hutton, but the Celtic midfield provided the bigger pre-match surprise.

Joe Ledley, who was expected to miss out through injury, and Ki Sung-Yueng were preferred to Kris Commons, who scored two goals in midweek against Kilmarnock, and James Forrest.

Samaras, who had caused Rangers problems in earlier encounters, was chosen ahead of Stokes up front.

However, it was Rangers on the front foot in the early stages as Ibrox shuddered in a cauldron of noise produced by both sets of fans, with Wylde and Davis delivering dangerous crosses into a Celtic box nervously patrolled by punch-happy goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Ledley had claims for a penalty correctly waved away by referee Craig Thomson after running into Steven Whittaker.

Rangers, though, were first to threaten and a Maurice Edu shot deflected a foot wide off Charlie Mulgrew.

The first flashpoint came after 22 minutes, with a spot of mutual shoving from Samaras and David Weir, but a yellow card each calmed what can so often be volatile proceedings.

Scott Brown had Celtic's first effort on goal with a low drive from 20 yards that curled a few yards wide after Mark Wilson dispossessed Davis.

Steven Naismith wildly sliced wide from 12 yards at the other end when found in the clear at the far post by a long Sasa Papac diagonal ball as the first half deteriorated into a midfield war of attrition.

Weir had the first chance of the second half but headed over from 14 yards after climbing well to meet a Davis corner, while Daniel Majstorovic did well to deflect a Naismith drive wide.

Kyle Lafferty squandered a great chance to give Rangers the lead when he beat Mulgrew to a Wylde cross to the front post, but the forward flashed his header just wide.

Celtic responded and a 22-yard Beram Kayal drive flew inches wide then McGregor produced a breathtaking finger-tip save to deflect a close-range Majstorovic header for a corner.

Lafferty flashed a free-kick wide of the far post, while Naismith fired across the face of goal and narrowly past from the edge of the box.

McGregor did well to tip an Emilio Izaguirre chip over the crossbar after the full-back had stepped inside Whittaker. It looked like Celtic would secure the victory when Thomson pointed to the spot after 83 minutes.

The decision looked harsh, with Davis at most being guilty of obstruction, but McGregor was on hand to save the day for a Rangers side who remain top by a point.

Stokes went down again in the box in the dying seconds under a John Fleck challenge, but this time Thomson booked the substitute for diving.

RANGERS

Allan McGregor His brilliant penalty save from Georgios Samaras sealed a top-class performance. He made an equally impressive diving stop to keep out a close-range header from Daniel Majstorovic and also denied Emilio Izaguirre earlier. 9

Steven WhittakerA typically diligent and solid contribution at right-back. Coped well with the threat of Joe Ledley down Celtic's left and was equally assured against substitute Kris Commons in the latter stages. 7
Madjid Bougherra Kept his forward surges to a minimum, retaining a necessary level of tactical discipline which helped Rangers nullify the threat of Samaras and Gary Hooper. 7
David WeirTime will tell if this was the 40-year-old's final Old Firm appearance. If so, then the veteran Rangers captain bowed out with some distinction, dominating his battle with Samaras. 7
Sasa Papac On a day when creative players struggled to impose themselves, he was the pick of the outfield crop yesterday. Almost faultless defensively and offered intelligent attacking support when possible. 8
Steven NaismithDoes not look comfortable in a wide right role but lacked nothing in enthusiasm and energy. Tried to link up with Nikica Jelavic and put a 65th-minute shot inches wide. 7
Steven Davis Found himself involved in a hustling, sometimes attritional battle with Beram Kayal which ended up with honours even. The most relieved man inside Ibrox when the penalty he conceded was saved. 6
Maurice EduAppears short of confidence and was guilty of some slack passing. There was a collective groan from the home support almost every time he touched the ball. 4
Gregg Wylde
The young winger's recall to the starting line-up was something of a surprise. After a bright start, found it difficult to make an impact. 6
Nikica JelavicClear cut chances were few and far between for the striker who too often found himself isolated. Some of his link-up play was impressive, but did most of his work outside the penalty area. 6
Kyle Lafferty Contrived to head a Wylde cross wide from close range in the second half, but in a generally positive display he kept Celtic's back four fully occupied with his work rate. 7

SUBSTITUTES

John Fleck Provided the Rangers fans with a fright after replacing Wylde when he cheaply lost possession to Kayal and set up a Celtic break which they failed to capitalise on.

El Hadji Diouf
Despite entering the fray in the 84th minute, he earned a warning from the referee before almost grabbing a dramatic winner when he curled a free-kick just wide.

Dundee United - Rangers 0-4.

 

On an evening when Rangers might have scored as many goals as Dundee United had players left on the field, the defending champions produced a booming win that guarantees they will be in pole position against Celtic for Sunday’s final Old Firm league derby of the season at Ibrox. While United were being reduced to eight men by the dismissals of Michael Kovacevic, Sean Dillon and Morgaro Gomis, Steven Whittaker took three penalty kicks and scored two, but was spared any embarrassment by contributions from Nikica Jelavic and Kyle Lafferty as Rangers ate into Celtic’s advantage in goal difference. Rangers’ urgency was exemplified by Steven Davis, who made himself available and demanded the ball with the energy of a dervish.

He and his colleagues threatened to overrun United in the middle of the park but in the danger areas Rangers were less effective, although Steven Naismith was a touch unlucky to be cautioned for handling when he had the ball in the net after quarter of an hour.

Undaunted, Naismith won Rangers the penalty kick from which they took the lead midway through the half. Again he had made a forcing run into the box but on this occasion he was body checked by Kovacevic for a clear penalty kick.
The Swiss defender, though, vehemently disputed that he had deprived Naismith of a clear goal scoring opportunity, on the grounds that the Rangers player did not have the ball under control when he was taken down, but it was the last plea of a doomed man and Kovacevic trundled off to the dressing room.
It fell to Whittaker to convert the award, a task he accomplished with brio, selling Dusan Pernis a dummy that sent the goalkeeper the wrong way as the ball was drilled into the corner away from his dive.
He was almost beaten again four minutes later and would have been helpless had Jelavic got a close range opportunist attempt on target when he applied a boot to an off-target drive from Naismith but the ball squirmed wide of the post. Changes were afoot, meanwhile, with United having sent on Barry Douglas for David Robertson – a defender for a midfield man – to fill the gap left by Kovacevic’s departure.
For their part, Rangers switched to a more aggressive deployment by withdrawing Kyle Hutton – the youngster having collected a booking for a foul on Danny Swanson – to allow El-Hadji Diouf the opportunity to cause additional trouble for the home defenders.
The Senegalese forward promptly produced a tantalising cross which just eluded Jelavic but fell for Kykle Lafferty to volley narrowly over with his right foot and from a corner in first half injury time Madjid Bougerra met Diouf’s delivery with a powerful header just off the mark.
Rangers had looked unsure of how exactly to take advantage of their extra man but that problem was addressed at the interval and the United defence began to be swamped by waves of blue jerseys.
Nevertheless, they were hard done by when they conceded another penalty kick and lost another defender in the process. Dillon was judged by Mr Collum to have toppled Jelavic inside the box – TV replays confirmed the suspicion that the offence was just outside – and was shown the red card before Whittaker repeated his earlier accomplishment from the spot.
The Rangers utility man was now on a hat-trick and, to a double dose of astonishment, he got his chance when Gomis barged Diouf off the ball in the box and was sent off, but this time Whittaker booted wildly over. Lafferty, though, reminded him how it should be done by shooting low and fiercely between Pernis and his left hand post six minutes from time.