MCINNES SEEN PHYSICALLY PROTECTING RANGERS STAR FROM CELTIC FANS AS OLD FIRM FOOTAGE EMERGES

MCINNES SEEN PHYSICALLY PROTECTING RANGERS STAR FROM CELTIC FANS AS OLD FIRM FOOTAGE EMERGES

 

A new piece of footage from Sunday’s Old Firm clash at Celtic Park has emerged, showing Rangers manager Derek McInnes stepping in to protect winger Djeidi Gassama after the Rangers player ended up directly in front of the home supporters.

 

The incident has quickly attracted attention online, with the footage offering another dramatic moment from a fiercely contested derby that Rangers ultimately won 1-0. According to reports, Gassama was involved in a challenge with Celtic’s Colby Donovan when his momentum carried him beyond the pitch and into the advertising boards in front of the Celtic supporters.

 

As Gassama landed near the advertising boards, footage appears to show supporters pushing the Rangers winger away. Gassama then turned towards the crowd, creating the possibility of the situation escalating.

 

That was when McInnes immediately intervened.

 

The Rangers boss moved towards his player, physically taking hold of Gassama and ushering him away from the supporters before the situation could develop further. The footage was captured as part of Rangers’ behind-the-scenes coverage of the match and subsequently circulated online.

 

The moment has become one of the most discussed pieces of footage from the match, particularly because of the intensity surrounding the latest Old Firm meeting.

 

It was already a highly charged occasion. Rangers had travelled to Celtic Park just seven days after recording a 3-0 victory over Celtic at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup. That result had given McInnes his first Old Firm victory as Rangers manager, and the second meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to claim bragging rights once again.

 

There were no away supporters inside Celtic Park for the league fixture, but the atmosphere remained extremely intense. Rangers eventually secured another victory, with Ryan Naderi scoring the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute.

 

Gassama played an important role in Rangers’ performance despite not finding the net.

 

The winger repeatedly attempted to attack Celtic’s defence and came extremely close to scoring himself during the first half. In the 36th minute, Gassama found space and lifted an effort over Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo, only for the ball to strike the post.

 

It was one of Rangers’ clearest opportunities to double their advantage.

 

His performance also meant that the winger was heavily involved in the attacking side of the match. Reports highlighted his ability to run at Celtic defenders, with his pace and movement causing problems for the home side.

 

However, it was his confrontation with the supporters rather than his performance on the pitch that became the major talking point after the match.

 

The newly surfaced footage shows just how quickly McInnes reacted when Gassama found himself in an uncomfortable position near the Celtic crowd. Rather than allowing the Rangers player to remain in the area, the manager immediately moved towards him and guided him back towards the pitch.

 

The incident did not turn into a major confrontation, but the images have nevertheless generated significant discussion among supporters.

 

McInnes’ intervention came during a match in which Rangers were already under considerable pressure to maintain their momentum. Having defeated Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox the previous week, Rangers had the opportunity to complete a remarkable double over their city rivals within the space of only eight days.

 

They achieved exactly that.

 

Naderi’s goal proved decisive. After Minsu Kim’s effort was saved by Sinisalo, the goalkeeper could only push the ball back into the danger area. Naderi reacted quickest and fired the rebound into the net to give Rangers the lead.

 

Celtic attempted to respond, but Rangers defended their advantage effectively.

 

The home side had opportunities, including a powerful effort from Kieran Tierney that struck the woodwork. Rangers also came close to adding a second when Gassama hit the post.

 

There was further drama later in the game when Rangers appeared to score another goal through Olwethu Makhanya, only for VAR to rule it out for handball. Rangers nevertheless held on for the victory.

 

The result was particularly significant for McInnes. BBC Sport reported that he became the first Rangers manager since Graeme Souness in 1986 to win his opening two Old Firm derbies.

 

For Rangers supporters, therefore, the footage involving Gassama has emerged during a period of considerable excitement around the team.

 

For Celtic supporters, meanwhile, the latest defeat represented another difficult result after a week in which their side had suffered multiple setbacks.

 

McInnes himself remained focused on the football after the match. Speaking to Sky Sports, he described the Rangers performance as a “worthy win” and said he was pleased with the confidence his players showed.

 

The footage involving Gassama provides a different perspective on the manager’s role during the derby. Managers are usually judged by tactical decisions, substitutions and results, but the incident showed McInnes reacting immediately to a situation involving one of his players.

 

Importantly, the available reports describe the footage as showing supporters pushing Gassama after he landed on the advertising boards. The incident should therefore be understood in that context rather than as evidence of a wider confrontation. The footage itself has become the focus of discussion because of McInnes’ immediate intervention.

 

With Rangers now having beaten Celtic twice in the space of one week, the latest Old Firm encounters have produced plenty of talking points both on and off the pitch.

 

And while Ryan Naderi’s goal ultimately decided the league meeting, the resurfaced footage of McInnes pulling Gassama away from the Celtic supporters has added another memorable moment to an already dramatic derby.

 

The Old Firm rivalry rarely needs much extra fuel, but moments like this can quickly become part of the conversation long after the final whistle.

 

For McInnes, however, the priority was simple: get his player away from the crowd and back onto the pitch.

 

And that is exactly what he did.