Rangers to appeal red card given to Jose Cifuentes

Rangers have submitted an appeal to rescind a red card picked up by Jose Cifuentes, after he was sent off in Rangers' 3-1 victory over Dundee at the weekend.

The Gers went 1-0 down early on in the game, only to turn the score line around in a valiant comeback. It was a strong outing from the Light Blues - especially as they were playing with ten men for the entirety of the second half. While no goals were scored in the second half of the game, they nonetheless remained solid at the back and were able to fend off any attacks launched by the Dee.

While Cifuentes is still suspended for Rangers' next games in the Scottish Premiership, he will be available for Thursday evening's game against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarín Stadium, as his ban does not include European competitions - only domestic games.

Despite this, it means that should the appeal be unsuccessful, Cifuentes will be unable to play against Aberdeen in the upcoming Scottish League Cup final on Sunday, December 17.

How important will it be to have Jose Cifuentes available for the Scottish League Cup Final?

Cifuentes' Rangers career has got off to a steady, if unspectacular start. While he has only racked up one assist and has yet to score a goal for the Gers, his intelligent passing play and ability to dictate the tempo make him something of an unsung hero at the Ibrox Stadium.

However, the problem runs deeper than merely missing out on a talented player. The Gers have a selection crisis in central midfield - Ryan Jack, Nicolas Raskin and Steven Davis are all missing with injuries. If Cifuentes' red card is not rescinded, it will leave them with just John Lundstram as their only natural central midfielder in the team.