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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Rangers defy UEFA national anthem ban with rousing rendition of ‘God Save The King’

Rangers on Wednesday night defied Uefa’s demands by playing the national anthem before their Champions League defeat to Napoli.

European football’s governing body rejected requests from Rangers, Manchester City and Chelsea to play ‘God Save The King’ ahead of their midweek games, but at Ibrox an impeccably observed minute's silence was followed by 50,000 fans singing the national anthem.

A vast silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II amid the colours of the Union Jack could be seen behind one of the goals before the game kicked off.

UEFA has since told the PA news agency that action will only be considered once it has received the necessary information from its match delegate.

The British flag and loyalty to the monarch are central to Rangers' traditional identity as a unionist club.

Britain is in the midst of a period of mourning for the Queen, who reigned for seven decades until her death last Thursday and will be buried on Monday.

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