VAR Officials Swapped Out Before Rangers Match

Two VAR officials were removed from their duties for the UEFA Champions League qualifier between Rangers and Dynamo Kyiv following allegations of improper behaviour.

Bartosz Frankowski and Tomasz Musial – who were appointed to oversee VAR operations for the match in Lublin, Poland on Tuesday, 6 August – were reportedly caught by police the night before the game stealing a road sign.

The pair were subsequently detained in a sobering up centre, with significant levels of alcohol in their blood.

UEFA swiftly replaced Frankowski and Musial with alternative officials from the Polish Football Association, less than 24 hours before kick-off. The incident occurred ahead of a crucial first-leg encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw, with Rangers’ Cyriel Dessers scoring a last-minute equaliser to keep their hopes alive for the return leg in Glasgow.

The game was moved to Lublin due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, preventing Kyiv from hosting matches. The tie’s winner will progress to the Champions League playoff round, while the loser will enter the Europa League group stage.

This controversy adds an unusual twist to an already tense qualifier.

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