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Rangers’ Bruno Alves fumes over referee performance

Portugal's Bruno Alves (C (ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images)
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Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers were denied a spot in the League Cup final.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 22:Bruno Alves of Rangers tackles All Campbell of Motherwell during the Betfred Cup Semi Final at Hampden Park on October 22, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Rangers defender Bruno Alves has told Sky Sports that he is “really concerned” that referee Steven McLean could set a dangerous precedent regarding the Gers after failing to stamp out Motherwell’s rough tactics on Sunday.

Pedro Caixinha’s lost their Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday as two goals from Louis Moult proved enough to deny Rangers a final with Celtic.

One of the big post-match stories has been Motherwell’s physical tactics, with Ryan Bowman – one of four Steelmen players to be cautioned – yellow carded for an elbow on Fabio Cardoso within seven minutes.

Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha is seen prior to the Betfred League Cup Quarter Final at Firhill Stadium on September 19, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Later on, Cardoso was forced off with a broken nose after being caught again by the Well attacker.

And Rangers stalwart Alves – perhaps fortunate not to be sent off himself following a late fracas with Moult – feels as if McLean effectively condoned the ‘unacceptable behaviour’ by not coming down stronger on offenders.

“I am just frustrated about what happened. This behaviour is not acceptable. I don’t speak so much about the referee because it is a difficult job,” he told Sky Sports.

A general view of Ibrox Stadium ahead of the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Hibernian at Ibrox Stadium on August 12, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.

“He needs to be really sharp to make a fast decision in the moment. But today was too much for me. We are doing our job. We are trying to do our best.

“I’m really concerned about this [physicality] because after this kind of behaviour anything can happen.”