Aberdeen vs Rangers Referee and VAR: SFA confirm match officials for Pittodrie clash

Barry Ferguson’s side could enter the game knowing a defeat would cement Celtic’s status as league champions, should Brendan Rodgers’ team defeat Kilmarnock 24 hours beforehand, meaning Rangers will be desperate to ensure they play no part in helping their fierce rivals reach a joint-record of 55 Scottish league titles.

Last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat to Hibs meant the club had lost five successive home games for the first time in their history, and Ferguson will be expecting a response after pulling no punches after the game. “Angry. Really angry, in fact, that is the simplest way I can put it,” said the interim boss. “I've just had a straight chat with them in the dressing room, there is no way I am accepting that, I can't accept that, I really can't, and they've been told that."

As for hosts Aberdeen, Jimmy Thelin’s side still have designs on third place after back-to-back wins over Ross County and Motherwell put them within a point of Hibs. Should they take all three points against Rangers, they could enter the split in pole position for a top three finish, depending on the result of David Gray’s side against Dundee.

The third clash between the teams this season, things looked oh so different for Aberdeen when they went nine points clear of Rangers in second after winning a tight game 2-1 at Pittodrie in October. Rangers got their own back just two-and-a-half months later though when they extended Aberdeen's wretched winless run to 12 matches with a thumping 3-0 victory.

Who is the referee for Aberdeen vs Rangers?

The Scottish Premiership have confirmed that the man in the middle will be Steven McLean. This will be the fifth Rangers league game that he has officiated this season, and the fourth Aberdeen game. The most recent Rangers game he took charge of was the 3-2 Old Firm win over Celtic on March 16.

During the 2024/25 season, McLean has refereed a total of 15 Scottish Premiership games, and handed out 50 yellow cards, but no red cards. He has booked eight Rangers players this season, and six Aberdeen players.

One of the more lenient referees in the division, McLean has handed out an average of 3.33 yellow cards per game - only four of the 19 Scottish match officials award less per game. He awards an average of 0.33 penalties per game, making him the seventh most likely match official in the league to award a spot kick.

Rangers have won 75% of the games he has taken charge of this season, whereas Aberdeen have won just 33% of the games he has taken charge of during the campaign.

Aberdeen vs Rangers match officials and VAR

McLean will be joined by David McGeachie and David Dunne, who will act as assistant referees. On VAR duties, we have Andrew Dallas, who will be assisted on VAR by Gary Hilland.