Rangers secured a momentous 3-2 victory over Celtic at Celtic Park, with Nicolas Raskin delivering a masterclass performance that helped end their nearly five-year wait for an away Old Firm win.
As Rangers players celebrated in the corner after the final whistle, cameras captured Raskin pointing to match-winner Hamza Igamane, whose stunning strike clinched a second consecutive Old Firm triumph. However, it was Raskin's commanding display that laid the foundation for this significant victory.
The Belgian midfielder not only opened the scoring and provided an assist for the second goal, but his all-action performance allowed Rangers to stifle Celtic on their home turf. His contribution rightfully earned him the player of the match award.
"It was amazing to make the stadium a bit calmer, but I'm just happy for the win," Raskin said afterward. "The gaffer just wanted us to go aggressive and put the pressure [on]. The team has done very well, we were quite high up the pitch and got the two goals."
By halftime, Rangers had established a 2-0 lead with Raskin playing a pivotal role. Just four minutes into the match, his determination to get across the front post and rise above Jeffrey Schlupp from a corner gave Rangers the perfect start. Later, his intelligent deep run and cushioned header set up Mohamed Diomande for Rangers' second goal.
Defensively, Raskin was omnipresent. He identified a potential weakness in Celtic's midfield with Luke McCowan replacing injured captain Callum McGregor. Whenever Celtic attempted to build from the back, Raskin pressured McCowan relentlessly, preventing him from turning and playing forward passes. When Celtic managed to work the ball to winger Nicolas Kuhn, Raskin collaborated with his defenders to immediately close down spaces.
The statistics highlight Raskin's dominance: he engaged in 16 duels (winning 10), regained possession six times, and made more tackles than any teammate. Only James Tavernier touched the ball more frequently for Rangers.
"Rangers are winning the midfield battle," former Rangers striker Steven Thompson observed at halftime on BBC Scotland's Sportsound program. "You talk about McCowan, [Arne] Engels and [Reo] Hatate, they are not getting on the ball at all and whenever any one of them does, they are put under massive pressure from [Connor] Barron, Raskin and [Mohamed] Diomande."
That relentless pressure disrupted Celtic's rhythm and forced turnovers in dangerous areas, creating opportunities Rangers could have exploited further before the interval.
Raskin's touch map revealed his comprehensive influence across the pitch. In the second half, Celtic's quality and perhaps Rangers' fatigue from Thursday's penalty shootout victory against Fenerbahce began to show as the league leaders fought back to level the score at 2-2.
However, even as Celtic Park roared and momentum shifted following Hatate's equalizer, Rangers maintained their discipline, avoiding the defensive collapses that had characterized their previous five defeats at their rivals' stadium.
"The box in the middle of the pitch was so pivotal," former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield said on Sky Sports. "Nico Raskin is so important but don't underestimate the work Connor Barron does beside him. Nico walked away with the man of the match award and rightly so because he was fantastic. The workload those two got through is so important for this team."
For Raskin, this victory caps an exceptional week that included a call-up to the Belgium national team and progression to the Europa League quarter-finals.
The triumph also bolsters interim manager Barry Ferguson's credentials for the permanent position. After previously unremarkable managerial stints at Clyde, Kelty Hearts, and Alloa Athletic, Ferguson has now guided Rangers past Fenerbahce in European competition and to their first win at Celtic Park since October 2020. This makes him the first Rangers manager to win his debut derby at Celtic Park since Walter Smith in 1991.
While it may be premature for Rangers to make decisions about their next permanent manager, especially with a potential takeover on the horizon, Ferguson's tactical switch to a back three for the first leg in Turkey has yielded impressive results.
Off the pitch, Ferguson has maintained a composed demeanor and clear messaging. Unlike his predecessor Philippe Clement, who often referenced fixture congestion and player rotation, Ferguson started 10 of the 11 players who featured in Thursday's exhausting European encounter, making it clear that fatigue would not be an excuse.
"I knew there was a good team here," Ferguson told BBC Scotland. "They were just missing a bit of self-belief, and had to be driven on a bit more. The boys listen, they tune in, and over the past 10 days you've certainly seen the benefits of that."
Ferguson continues to downplay speculation about his future, insisting he'll be "away on a family holiday" at season's end and is "not even thinking" about remaining beyond his interim contract. But his recent results are making a compelling case for his permanent appointment.
"It's a huge win for Barry and his staff," Arfield said. "He's making a big challenge to get the job [full-time]. He's got Rangers to the quarter-finals of the Europa League and now won at Celtic Park. You need to know what you're doing to outsmart this Celtic team and it's been evident today."
