Rangers have formally reached out to the Scottish Football Association following a contentious challenge on striker Ryan Naderi during last weekend’s clash against Celtic.

​The incident involving Celtic player Mika Baur has left the forward nursing severe damage, placing his availability for upcoming fixtures in serious jeopardy. Manager Derek McInnes revealed that Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie approached SFA head of refereeing Willie Collum directly to register the club’s deep dissatisfaction with how the match officials handled the collision.

​Baur escaped any formal sanction on the pitch, avoiding even a yellow card. More frustratingly for the Ibrox hierarchy, the video assistant referee chose not to recommend an on-field review, allowing play to continue without the referee taking a second look at the pitchside monitor.

​Addressing the media ahead of Sunday’s match, McInnes did not mince words regarding the severity of the injury or the nature of the challenge. The manager noted that Naderi was left in substantial discomfort, characterizing the physical state of the player’s ankle as an absolute mess.

​”Jim Gillespie spoke to Willie Collum and the SFA about it, really not happy with the challenge,” McInnes explained. “I am not going to get caught up in referee chat. I am surprised that the referee was not asked to look at that. I find it strange that he was not.”

​The manager conceded that high-intensity derby encounters inevitably produce aggressive moments, but he insisted the threshold for intervention was clearly crossed.

​”Ryan’s ankle is a mess, it was a mess, it was a poor challenge,” McInnes continued. “Sometimes these challenges can happen, but it did not look great, to be honest. Ryan is one of two players who is a wee bit of a doubt for the game on Sunday, but I do not want to get bogged down in referee chat.”

​The absence of any VAR summons remains a major talking point. With technology implemented specifically to eliminate clear and obvious errors on potentially dangerous fouls, the decision to overlook Baur’s challenge has reignited scrutiny over the consistency of Scottish officiating. Club officials feel aggrieved that such an impactful incident went entirely unpunished while leaving their primary attacking option sidelined.

​The timing of the injury presents a significant selection headache for the management team. Naderi has developed into a central figure in the Rangers attack, offering physical presence and link-up play that will be difficult to replace on short notice. If the medical team cannot clear him in time for Sunday, McInnes will have to reshape his frontline while monitoring a second unnamed player who also faces a late fitness test.

​While the dialogue between Gillespie and Collum will not change the outcome of the match or reverse the missed call, Rangers hope the intervention prompts greater accountability from the refereeing department as the domestic campaign intensifies.