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REAL MADRID BEGINS PRESEASON WITH DEFEAT AT RANGERS

Real Madrid began their preseason campaign with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Scottish champions Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday.

Steven Gerrard’s side came back from a goal behind to win the game through second-half goals from Fashion Sakala and Cedric Itten.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team took the lead after eight minutes through a Rodrygo strike but struggled to find form throughout the 90 minutes without their star players available.

Madrid also finished the game with 10 men after defender Nacho was shown a straight red card in 75th minute, moments before Rangers took the lead.

The Spanish giants were without new signing David Alaba, Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Toni Kroos and Raphael Varane who stayed back in Madrid to train.

Madrid will be hopeful of a better performance when they face AC Milan in their next friendly on Aug. 8.

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WESTHAM AGREE DEAL TO SIGN FORMER RANGERS KEEPER

West Ham have reportedly agreed a deal to sign former Rangers keeper Brian Kinnear after his release by the Light Blues earlier this summer.

The Scotland youth international was one of a number of Rangers Academy prospects released at the end of the season – and is set to join several of them by making a move to a Premier League side.

Dapo Mebude and Nathan Young-Coombes have joined Man City and Watford, respectively, while Ciaran Dickson and Harris O’Connor are both on trial at Burnley.

According to the Daily Record, Kinnear will be unveiled imminently by the Hammers as the young keeper gets a chance to get his career back on track following his Rangers release.

Kinnear was one of five players suspended by Rangers earlier this year for breaching Covid rules, spending the final months of his Ibrox career out on loan at Annan Athletic.
His move to the Hammers comes after he had previously been linked with a move to Birmingham City, spending time on trial with the Blues before heading to London.

A similar trial spell with David Moyes’ side appears to have impressed enough to win him a contract and a move to the Premier League.

Kinnear is likely to initially join West Ham’s under-23 squad as he looks to establish himself in England before trying to push for a place in the senior squad.

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AGREEMENT REACHED AS RANGERS GOAL MACHINE, ALFRED MORELOS INCH CLOSER TO PORTUGAL

Prolific Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos has reportedly agreed personal terms to join Portuguese giants Porto.

The Colombian attacker is expected to quit Ibrox this summer, with a number of top European clubs chasing his signature. However, it would appear that Porto have won the race after reports last week that Morelos was subject of a £10million bid.

It’s understood that Rangers are looking for a fee in the region of £15-20m for the 25-year-old frontman.

But radio station Antena 1, as cited by the Glasgow Evening Times, states that there is a “total agreement” between Porto and the player over a move.

Morelos has scored 94 goals in 182 games during his time at Ibrox. He was also a key figure as Steven Gerrard’s side lifted the Scottish Premiership title last season.

The striker has often been a controversial figure at Ibrox, however, having been sent off an incredible seven times.

Any fee that Rangers recoup for Morelos is expected to go towards the addition of another striker for Gerrard.

The Ibrox outfit begin the defence of their title against Livingston on July 31.

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RANGERS FINISH SCOTTISH LEAGUE UNBEATEN WITH 102 POINTS

Steven Gerrard’s Rangers side became only the second team to win the Scottish Premiership and go a full season without losing a game after the champions beat Aberdeen 4-0 at home on the final day on Saturday.

Rangers won all 19 of their home games at Ibrox and equalled the league record of 26 clean sheets in the campaign. They also set a record by conceding only 13 goals in their 32 wins and six draws.

Celtic, the first side to go unbeaten in the 2016-17 season, finished 25 points behind Rangers, who sealed the title in March to deny their archrivals a 10th straight title.

“It feels good, it’s been a while since I’ve had the smell of champagne … I’m actually enjoying it,” Gerrard told Sky Sports after he was soaked in champagne by Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.

“I was asked to come here at a really difficult time … It was about having a vision, having the right people in the right places, the right support from the board. We fought every day for three years to get to this point.”

Although fans are not allowed inside the stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions, many gathered outside with banners and blue flares to celebrate their “Invincibles” campaign.

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RUTHLESS RANGERS SENDS RIVALS CELTIC OUT OF SCOTTISH CUP

Ruthless Rangers piled more misery on Celtic with a 2-0 Scottish Cup fourth-round win at Ibrox.

The Light Blues wrested the Premiership title back from their Old Firm rivals for the first time in a decade this season and ensured the cup would also be leaving Parkhead for the first time in five years.

Midfielder Steven Davis gave the home side the lead in the 10th minute with an improvised finish before Parkhead full-back Jonjoe Kenny put through his own goal in the 33rd minute under pressure from Gers attacker Ryan Kent.

Interim Celtic boss John Kennedy’s side missed a series of chances including a 79th-minute penalty which Gers keeper Allan McGregor, in another terrific performance, saved from Hoops striker Odsonne Edouard.

Steven Gerrard’s men, now unbeaten in the last five Glasgow derbies, host St Johnstone in the quarter-finals looking to march on to a league and cup double, while Celtic have to regroup this summer.

The tie had been pushed back to Sunday due to Saturday’s funeral of Britain’s Prince Philip and there was a period of silence before the game started.

Rangers skipper James Tavernier, out for two months with a knee injury, could only find a place on the bench as Kemar Roofe made way for midfielder Scott Arfield.

Celtic winger James Forrest, who picked up a back and hamstring niggle last week against Falkirk, was out altogether, replaced by Ryan Christie while left-back Diego Laxalt came in for benched Greg Taylor.

Celtic probably edged the opening minutes before Rangers took the lead.

Kent started the attack by leaving Parkhead skipper Scott Brown in his wake in the middle of the park before Celtic defender Stephen Welsh brought him down.

Referee Bobby Madden played on with Joe Aribo driving into the box and when his drive struck Hoops defender Kris Ajer and looped into the air, Davis’ acrobatic strike from six yards beat keeper Scott Bain.

Celtic furiously fought back with efforts from striker Edouard, Christie and Callum McGregor and as the visitors kept up the pressure Welsh, from five yards out, somehow redirected a cross from David Turnbull away from goal before Ajer’s drive was blocked by Gers defender Filip Helander on the line.

Aribo beat Laxalt on the right flank before firing the ball to the near post where Kenny, on loan from Everton, turned it past Bain in an attempt at preventing Kent applying the finishing touch.

Celtic, with Taylor on for Laxalt, started the second half at top speed and McGregor was quickly involved, tipping a Turnbull drive past the post for a corner which was defended.

In the 57th minute Celtic had the chance to reduce the deficit when McGregor parried a drive from Mohamed Elyounoussi into the path of Edouard but the striker’s effort from six yards sailed over the bar.

Moments later, after Gers full-back Nathan Patterson passed straight to Edouard, the Frenchman set up in Elyounoussi but McGregor was out quickly to smother the shot with Edouard’s effort from the loose ball cleared to safety.

At the other end, Bain beat away a 20-yard drive from Kent and then blocked Alfredo Morelos’ shot from the rebound.

Scotland striker Leigh Griffiths replaced Christie in the 72nd minute and when he was pushed inside the box by Aribo, referee Madden pointed to the spot.

Edouard stepped forward but his shot was saved by McGregor who dived to his right with the Rangers defence clearing the loose ball to safety, the incident summing up the day.

Minutes later, a fantastic challenge by Taylor prevented Aribo tapping in from a yard out but it will be Celtic who will be rueing a series of missed opportunities as they survey a trophy-less season.

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SCOTTISH LEAGUE: ALFREDO MORELOS HEADER SECURES RANGERS DRAW AGAINST CELTIC AT PARKHEAD.

Alfredo Morelos broke his scoring duck against Celtic as champions Rangers left Parkhead with a 1-1 draw and their unbeaten Scottish Premiership run intact.

Hoops attacker Mohamed Elyounoussi headed in an Odsonne Edouard cross in the 23rd minute before the Gers striker levelled in the 38th minute, also with a header.

It was his first goal against Celtic at the 15th time of asking and it proved, along with a fine performance by Allan McGregor, to be enough make it 33 league games unbeaten and keep the 20-point gap between the teams.

Interim Hoops manager John Kennedy, who stepped up when Neil Lennon resigned last month, wanted to put down a marker and his side certainly did that albeit they will have to look to next season in terms of making amends in the league.

The draw came at the end of a traumatic week for the Ibrox men in which they were knocked out of the Europa League by Slavia Prague with midfielder Glen Kamara claiming he was subject to a racist slur by Ondrej Kudela.

Celtic skipper Scott Brown had a quick word with Kamara in the build-up and the Hoops players, like their Ibrox counterparts, chose not to take the knee before kick-off in support of the Finland international.

Substitutes, management and backroom staff of both clubs stood along the touchline in solidarity.

Traditional rivalries then commenced, albeit it was unusually tame in the early stages.

The visitors, with Filip Helander and Ianis Hagi in for Nathan Patterson and Scott Arfield, started confidently enough but gradually Celtic, unchanged, began to impose themselves.

Callum McGregor, after working a one-two with defender Stephen Welsh, cleared the bar with a drive from the edge of the box.

The Parkhead midfielder was involved in the goal, sending Edouard down the left flank with a pin-point pass and when the Frenchman flighted the ball across the six-yard box past Helander, Elyounoussi’s header beat McGregor.

As Celtic took control, referee Willie Collum booked Edouard for diving in the box after a sliding challenge by Gers left-back Borna Barisic before Ibrox keeper McGregor had to block a close-range drive from his Celtic namesake with his foot.

Then Rangers struck. Morelos’ landmark goal came after right-back Jonjoe Kenny’s long back pass to keeper Scott Bain went out for a corner.

Barisic’s out swinging delivery was headed on by defender Leon Balogun and the Colombia striker nipped in at the back post to head into an empty net.

A flurry of activity followed. Edouard was played in by Elyounoussi but McGregor stopped the striker’s close-range shot at the second attempt, and at the other end, Bain saved a drive from Ryan Kent.

McGregor then saved an Elyounoussi header from a David Turnbull corner as Celtic finished the half strongly.

An early second-half corner from Turnbull was headed over by Welsh and McGregor dived to keep out a 25-yard drive from Edouard.

Patterson replaced Balogun and Arfield soon came on for Hagi by which time the home side were pushing hard to regain their lead.

Celtic racked up more chances. In the 71st minute McGregor used his foot again to deny Turnbull’s low angled-drive before Edouard headed the corner over the bar.

Kemar Roofe replaced Morelos and Scott Wright came on for Joe Aribo as the visitors, who were offering little in attack, tried to get a foothold in the game.

Celtic substitute James Forrest took over from Turnbull and Tom Rogic came on for Elyounoussi before Edouard missed a cross from Kenny by inches, another change going a-begging for the home side.

Gers centre-back Connor Goldson headed a Barisic corner over the bar in added time.

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STEVEN GERARD ACCUSES SLAVIA PRAGUE PLAYER OF RACIALLY ABUSING RANGERS STAR, GLEN KAMARA

Steven Gerrard accused Slavia Prague’s Ondrej Kudela of racially abusing Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara after tempers flared during their Europa League clash.

Rangers were knocked out of the competition in a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox, which they ended with nine men after Leon Balogun and Kemar Roofe were both sent off.

Liverpool legend Gerrard admitted afterwards that his side had been beaten by the better team – but he was fuming over an incident late in the game.

Slavia defender Kudela said something to Kamara while covering his mouth – and the Rangers midfielder reacted with shock and anger as team-mates leapt to his defence.

Kudela and Rangers defender Conor Goldson were both booked in the ensuing melee – and Gerrard afterwards gave his backing to Kamara.

Speaking to the media, the Gers manager said: “First, I’ll deal with the football side. We were beaten by the better team over the two legs so congratulations to Slavia.

“They deserved it and in no way do I want to sit here and be a bad loser and come out with any excuses. I’m really proud of my player for the efforts and the journey they took us on.

“In terms of the other incident, I have to be careful what I say but you build relationships in football and I have built a very, very strong relationship with Glen Kamara.

“Glen Kamara to me is one of my own. I 100 percent believe what he is saying in terms of the accusation. Other players around him heard it.

“I will stand with Glen Kamara and deal with it however he wants to deal with it. I’m proud of all of my players tonight. They showed solidarity and from the top of this club to the bottom we stand with the players.

Gerrard urged European football bosses to investigate, saying: “It’s over to UEFA now, this situation, and I just hope it doesn’t get brushed under the carpet.

“I feel angry right now. It’s difficult to describe how I feel because I know Glen, I trust him 100 percent. It’s extremely disappointing and there’s too much of it happening around football.

“The Slavia player has caused this, caused the situation to escalate even further because straight away the fans join in and the racism just grows and grows and grows.”

After the game, Slavia president Jaroslav Tvrdik took to Twitter saying the club denied the allegation of racial abuse.

He tweeted: “Slavia categorically opposes the fact that the player Ondrej Kudela racially insulted the players’ opponents in any way.”

A statement from Slavia reads: “Slavia resolutely denies the disgusting accusation of one of the team captains Ondřej Kúdela of racist behaviour. Already the founders of our club gave us crest where white colour means “the purity of the idea of sports and fair contest where the rival is not our enemy, but respected opponent.” Today, Slavia is an international club based on respect for our opponents and mutual respect of all people and cultures.

“After one of the brutal fouls, Ondřej Kúdela spoke to one of the Rangers players. “I told him ‘You f***ing guy’. It was said in emotions, but I absolutely deny there was anything racist in those words,” Kúdela stated.

“Slavia players faced an unprecedentedly malicious play from their opponents. They have never experienced such play in any game they participated in modern history of the European competitions. Many brutal tackles resulted in injuries of our players. Goalkeeper Ondřej Kolář was taken to hospital with ten stitches on his head.

“After the end of the game, the team was not allowed to enter the dressing room. Ondřej Kúdela was assaulted by player Kamara and hit with fists in the head when Rangers manager Steven Gerrard witnessed the incident. Even the UEFA representatives who were also present on the site of the incident were shocked by this behaviour.

“The team is now safe accompanied by the Scottish police.”

Scotland Police, Kamara’s respresentatives and UEFA have been contacted for comment.

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STEVEN GERRARD WANTS GOAL KEEPER MC GREGOR TO STAY AT RANGERS

Steven Gerrard hopes he can persuade Allan McGregor to sign on for another year after hailing the “world-class” stop which has kept Rangers on track for the Europa League quarter-finals.

The newly-crowned Scottish champions looked to be suffering from a hangover following their boozy title celebrations over the weekend as they fell behind to an early Slavia Prague strike in the Czech capital.

But Filip Helander’s tap-in handed Gers a precious away goal before veteran stopper McGregor pulled off his latest wonder save to keep out a Lukas Masopust header in the final minute.

The 1-1 draw means Gers can continue to dream of the last eight ahead of next week’s second leg in Glasgow.

But Gerrard is also hoping McGregor will be around next season to help lead Rangers’ Champions League bid.

The 39-year-old is out of contract in the summer, but with the title race now at an end, Gers are set to step up their attempts to tie him down for another season.

“I’ve spoken about it before, how much we rate Allan, how much we love him here, how much we want to carry on,” said Gerrard.

“At the same time, I’ve told you guys I will respect him. He knows what’s on the table. He’s in discussions with the club and, from where I’m sitting, I just hope we get it over the line and sign him up for another year because he is more than capable.

“I know that on a daily basis by working with him and watching him closely. The decision is going to be down to Allan, not us. Because we certainly want him.

“I thought there were a few big, pivotal moments in the game and opportunities for both sides to get the winner.

“Allan has come big for us again and it is a top, top save to get it back and drag it back into his grasp. It was another world-class save.”

The Light Blues looked a little green around the gills after their wild weekend and suffered an early sickener as Nicolae Stanciu fired home with a sensational opener to the delight of 300 Czech front-line workers handed entry to the Eden Arena.

But gradually the colour returned to Gers’ cheeks and they levelled nine minutes before the break when Ianis Hagi refused to give up on a lost cause from a Borna Barisic free-kick, hooking a loose ball back off the by-line for Helander to tap home from a yard out.

Gers grew in confidence after the break and had a few chances to claim a win.

But they had McGregor to thank for saving the draw against a Slavia outfit who – like Gers – are unbeaten in their domestic league this term.

Gerrard added: “I think it was a fair result and I think we have given everything tonight from a physical point of view after the week that we have had.

“This was probably the toughest opposition that we could have faced because they play at a real high intensity and they are a powerful team that came out of the blocks extremely quickly.

“After a poor start, or a slow start, I thought we did ever so well to get back in the game and we have had some chances, they have had some chances and I think overall it is a fair result that sets us up for next week.

“It was a decent delivery and it is about who reacts the quickest. Ianis has gambled. You expect one of your attacking players to go and score but it was big, super Fil, the prolific centre-half from Sweden.

“Listen, at this stage it is very difficult to get results. You only have to look at Scottish history to be aware of that.

“We were coming up against a team with a fantastic home record, domestically unbeaten. So we knew the challenge was very big against a powerful team who like to play at a high intensity.

“We needed to be ready for that, but after the week we had it was quite tough. Credit to the players, they rolled their sleeves up and dug in.”

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GERARD’S RANGERS GO 19 POINTS CLEAR AFTER BEATING CELTIC IN SCOTTISH DERBY.

Rangers took all three points in their Old Firm derby against Celtic with a 1-0 win at Ibrox to move 19 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Despite Celtic’s early dominance, Rangers were given a huge helping hand on 62 minutes when Nir Bitton was sent off for a professional foul on Alfredo Morelos.

Rangers opened the scoring eight minutes later when Celtic’s Callum McGregor put through his own net from a corner as he challenged Joe Arribo for the header.

Celtic were by far the better team in the first half as they dominated proceedings and Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor produced a superb performance to keep the game at 0-0.

But the game changed with the red card as Britton hauled down Morelos as the Rangers striker went through on goal.

Despite winning the game 1-0, Rangers failed to register a single shot on target as they profited from an own goal.

Steven Gerrard’s side held on to open up a seemingly insurmountable lead at the top, though Celtic — who have won the last nine Scottish league titles — have three games in hand.

The result continues Rangers’ incredible home record with their 11th consecutive victory, having conceded just once.

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RANGERS DUO HANDED SEVEN MATCH BAN BY SCOTTISH FA.

Jordan Jones and George Edmundson are unlikely to play again this year after the Rangers duo were handed hefty seven-match bans as punishment for breaching Covid-19 rules.

The pair broke strict government guidelines when they attended an indoor house party earlier this month.

Northern Ireland winger Jones, 26, and 23-year-old English defender Edmundson were given two-week club suspensions and were also issued with fixed penalties by police officers called out to break up the early-hours get-together in Glasgow’s west end.

Now the Scottish Football Association has also taken action by charging the pair over the incident.

The seven-match bans mean Jones and Edmundson, who are not in Rangers’ Europa League squad, will not be free to return to domestic action for Steven Gerrard’s team until the December 30 clash with St Mirren.

But both players face an uphill struggle to win over their furious manager.

Jones’ part in this latest incident comes after he spent much of last season out of action with a knee injury sustained while he got himself sent off for a reckless challenge on Celtic’s Moritz Bauer in the opening Old Firm clash of the campaign.

Edmundson, meanwhile, has struggled to force his way past the likes of Connor Goldson, Filip Helander and Leon Balogun to claim a regular spot in his manager’s line-up.

The party took place just hours after Rangers had beaten Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on November 1. Neither player was involved in the game but they were both due to report to training the following day.

However, they were ordered to stay away from the club’s Auchenhowie base after Ibrox bosses were informed of the illegal gathering.

Under Scottish Government rules at the time, residents of Glasgow were prohibited from socialising inside homes with those from another household.

Officers called out to break up the party discovered the Rangers duo and a number of other revellers inside the residential flat.

Gerrard later told the duo that they had “badly let down their team-mates and the supporters of the club” with their actions, while Jones was left out of the Northern Ireland squad for last week’s Euro 2020 play-off with Slovakia.

The SFA took action after issuing notices of complaint which accused the players of breaching the governing body’s disciplinary rules 24 and 77, which cover requirements to comply with Covid rules and the failure to act in the best interests of the game.