Philippe Clement vented his frustration at referee Nick Walsh and the VAR system for disallowing a goal that he believed could have secured the Scottish Cup for Rangers. In the Hampden final against Celtic, Clement’s team appeared to have taken the lead through Abdallah Sima, only for it to be ruled out for a push by Nico Raskin on Celtic keeper Joe Hart following a VAR check. Clement criticized the decision, pointing out an earlier incident where a push by Liam Scales on Dujon Sterling went unpunished.

Convinced that Sima’s disallowed goal could have changed the outcome of the match, Clement expressed disappointment at the turn of events. Despite Rangers’ efforts, they conceded a 90th-minute goal to Celtic’s Adam Idah, resulting in their fifth consecutive defeat to their rivals this season.

While acknowledging the positive aspects of his team’s performance and receiving praise even from Celtic officials for their display, Clement emphasized the need for improvement and better handling of key moments in matches. He pointed out the impact of players returning from injury and highlighted the necessity of building a stronger and fitter squad for the upcoming season.

Reflecting on goalkeeper Jack Butland’s error that led to Celtic’s winning goal, Clement defended his player, stating that it was a challenging shot and that Butland had been solid throughout the game. Despite the disappointing result, Clement remained proud of his team’s effort and vowed to work on addressing key areas for future success.

So, I don’t believe that was the case. It’s easy to dissect the details and argue that he should have redirected the ball to the side. However, the ball was already in motion in the air. It was an unfortunate moment for us.”

In the upcoming summer, Clement faces the task of reconstructing Rangers to present a stronger challenge to Celtic for titles next season. For players like John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, and Leon Balogun, whose contracts are expiring, it could potentially be their final day at the club.

Despite the financial constraints, Clement expresses readiness for the challenge ahead. He commented, “In times like today, we need to introduce new players who can truly make a difference, which proved to be a challenging task for us.

“This should serve as motivation for the players to return in the summer with a fierce determination to succeed. They understand the narrow gap between Rangers and Celtic, and our goal for next season is to triumph in such crucial matches. Looking back at today’s game, no one would have anticipated this performance six months ago. While winning is the ultimate goal, seizing those critical moments is equally crucial. We are committed to improving on that front.

“The summer poses a significant challenge due to the limited time available. We have upcoming Champions League qualifiers in August and a squad rebuild is imperative. We anticipate departures and must address those gaps without significant financial inflow. We need to employ innovative strategies in the transfer market and make intelligent choices. It will undoubtedly be tough, but we are already hard at work on finding solutions.”