Philippe Clement accused Italian referee Marco Guida of killing Rangers’ Champions League dream with the worst decision he has seen in his 30 years in football.
Reduced to ten men following the controversial dismissal of defender Jefte after 51 minutes, they were blown away by two goals in two minutes from Dynamo Kyiv substitutes Oleksandr Pikhalyonok and Nazar Voloshyn.
The Ibrox side now miss out on a £40million windfall as they drop into the Europa League group stage.
Clement disputed any suggestion of a flying arm from Jefte for his second yellow card as he leapt for the ball with Oleksandr Karavayev, and took to the pitch to remonstrate angrily with the offical at full-time.
‘I’ve seen the images back. It’s clearly not a foul,’ said the Rangers boss. ‘He just jumps higher and that’s everything that happens.
‘It’s a very decisive moment and, in the end, it has killed the dream of a dressing room. It has killed the dream of more than 50,000 fans, and you expect a better level in decision-making, because this is, for me, the worst decision I’ve seen in more than 30 years.’
A furious Clement remonstrates with the Italian referee at full-time
Brazilian defender Jefte was shown a second yellow card after this aerial challenge
Rangers boss Clement said there was clearly no foul on Karavayev of Dynamo Kyiv
Asked if he had received an explanation from the referee, he said: ‘No, I tried to.
‘He (Jefte) just jumps higher. He doesn’t move his arms next to his body. So it’s not a fault, it’s nothing.
‘To lose a player at that moment... I tried to understand the decision and to ask, but the referee stuck to his opinion. It was really a clear fault.
‘I have a lot of things in my head, but you guys know that every word I say is too much. I can get a ban for the next European game, so let’s keep things in my head.’
Victory would have secured a play-off tie with RB Salzburg and a payment of £4m. Qualification for the new league stage would have raked in around £40m, with Clement acknowledging the impact of defeat on his transfer budget in the final weeks of the window.
Referee Marco Guida shows the red card as Karavayev writhes on the ground
New Rangers defender Jefte reacts with disbelief to the referee's decision to send him off
Rangers boss Clement tries to console the player as he trudges off the pitch
‘If you go to the Champions League, you can do things faster, because there’s £40m coming into the club. That’s not the case now, so it will take more time. That’s the reality to do the things that you want to do, or the things that the club wants to do for the future.
‘It doesn’t mean that the story stops, of course, and you see it already. With young, exciting players coming into the club, making steps, and I don’t need to say all the names every time.’
Asked if Rangers would consider a formal protest to UEFA head of referees Roberto Rosetti, Clement was reluctant to risk further repercussions.
‘The club can do ... if it doesn’t have consequences,’ he said. ‘Otherwise, it’s not good for the club to get fines or whatever because they said something. Because, in the end, it won’t be that the decision is changed and we’re going to replay. It’s never going to happen.’
Ex-Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, working as a pundit for the BBC, said: ‘It’s a horrific decision. It’s that bad I don’t think the referee should work in the Champions League again this season. Anyone with two working eyes can see that’s not a second yellow card.’