Rangers boss Derek McInnes has been left fuming after being handed a four-match touchline ban for his scathing remarks about the infamous Celtic penalty in May 2026. The Scottish FA's disciplinary action is a bitter pill to swallow, especially given that many pundits and fans agree with McInnes' assessment of the late spot-kick as "disgusting". Speaking to Sky Sports after Hearts' win over Falkirk on the same evening, McInnes said: "When you heard Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what's happened is they get the penalty. Having seen it again, it's disgusting. It is. I don't think it's a penalty kick. But we're up against it. We're up against everybody."
The controversy unfolded on 13 May when Kelechi Iheanacho slotted home from the spot to seal Celtic's 3-2 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park, snatching three crucial points that kept them just one point behind Hearts in the title race. Just days later, Celtic would go on to win the league – but McInnes' comments sparked a heated debate about the penalty decision.
Rangers are now set to contest the Scottish FA's decision, arguing that McInnes' remarks were specifically targeted at the call rather than a personal attack on officials. The club points out that similar language has been used by others in the past with little or no disciplinary action taken, leaving many questioning why McInnes has been singled out.
The four-match ban means McInnes will be watching from the stands for Rangers' Scottish Premiership opener against Dundee United on 31 July, as well as their league games at Hibernian and a League Cup tie in early August. However, he'll still be on the sidelines for Rangers' Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Bialystok.
This isn't the first time the Scottish FA has taken disciplinary action over this contentious penalty. Motherwell were fined £5,000 for releasing a video with a provocative caption, while former midfielder Elliott Watt was given a four-match suspension for describing the decision as "the worst VAR decision in history" on social media. The Scottish FA's head of referees, Willie Collum, had previously defended the call, citing "clear evidence" of handball.
Rangers are sticking to their guns, insisting that McInnes' comments were justified and pointing out that many others share his opinion. As one Rangers fan put it: "If you don't think that penalty was dodgy, I'd love to see your interpretation of the laws of the game!"