‘Surprise’ – Ally McCoist baffled in studio after what he saw in Rangers draw v Benfica

Ally McCoist was left baffled after the referee awarded a penalty for handball against Rangers during their 2-2 draw with Benfica.

John Souttar was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area after a lengthy VAR review, despite replays showing that the centre-back headered the ball onto his arm.

And asked about the decision while appearing as a pundit on TNT Sports (7 March, 21:03), McCoist admitted his “surprise” at the referee’s decision and claimed it wouldn’t have been given in England.

“Well I’m not giving it and I’m not sure it’s given in England either,” he said.

“It hits his head, yes his arm is away from his body. I’m not even going to use the term natural position because it is, for him, it’s a natural position. It comes off his head, there’s not a lot he can do about it.

“The referee gives it. I’m not giving it, but he sticks it away. There’s a surprise.”

Rangers were robbed vs Benfica

There is no way on Earth that a penalty should have been given by the referee for that John Souttar incident, no matter what.

The footage is very clear that the defender first makes contact with the ball with his head and it then bounces onto his arm, which isn’t in an unnatural position in any way.

The rules are also clear that any accidental handball in this instance isn’t a foul unless it leads directly to a goal, which this didn’t.

Considering the team led twice on the road in Lisbon it’s hard to be too disheartened by the result, and the performance was strong both defensively and going forward.

But what could’ve been? If the referee had followed the rules of the game properly, it could have been an entirely different outcome because Di Maria would never have scored that penalty at that moment.