Candeias: Refs must help Alfredo
DANIEL CANDEIAS believes referees should give Alfredo Morelos more protection from the incessant provocation he claims the striker has faced this season. Morelos is free to face Celtic on Sunday week after the SFA deemed no action was necessary following a clash with Kirk Broadfoot last weekend. The 29-goal Rangers forward pushed out at the Kilmarnock defender after Broadfoot stood on his heel as the two players left the pitch at halftime in a 1-1 draw at Ibrox. Candeias feels the 22-yearold Colombian international, who has been shown four red
cards and 15 yellow cards this term, has been placed in the spotlight too often, while those who wind him up are ignored. He pointed back to the opening day of the Ladbrokes Premiership campaign, when Morelos was sent off for kicking out at Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna — a decision later rescinded on appeal. ‘I think people say Alfredo has too many red cards but, in all the games, the players provoke Alfredo,’ said Candeias. ‘I have said it before. He is like Diego Costa. He gets provocations all through the games. ‘The referees can help Alfredo in the games. I think all the people look too much at Alfredo. The referees look too much at Alfredo. ‘When the games start, all the time the referees speak to Alfredo: “Hey, easy today”. ‘But all the time, the players provoke Alfredo. At the start of the season in Aberdeen, Alfredo did nothing. All the time, McKenna provoked Alfredo. ‘All the players when they play against Rangers… I don’t know... have so much anger for Rangers and Alfredo.’ Morelos has yet to score against Celtic in his Rangers career but will remain key to Steven Gerrard’s hopes of an Old Firm victory at Parkhead. Asked if he expected the Celtic players to try to provoke the striker, Candeias added: ‘I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe, yes. ‘Does he have to not react? Of course, I talk with Alfredo all the time. But it is the game of Alfredo. I know he is like Diego Costa. He needs to stay in the game with provocations. ‘Sometimes, when you are a 22-year-old, you have a strong mentality. But it’s a normal reaction to the provocations.’