Rangers star Madjid Bougherra has gone AWOL for the THIRD time, reports the Scottish Sun. The defender didn't show up at Murray Park yesterday - two days after helping Algeria clinch a dramatic World Cup place.

Bougherra has been posted missing twice before after international games - and the last time he claimed he'd been robbed in France.

But Gers boss Walter Smith rapped: "I don't think it's his valuables that have been lost this time. It's him."

Smith played down his star man's latest no-show, insisting he was not planning to play him anyway.

Bougherra, 27, hasn't played for Gers since September - missing seven games.

Smith sighed: "Is he back yet? The answer to that one is, no.

"He will be back at some stage on Saturday.

"I didn't really think, after being out as long as he had and having to play two matches of that kind of intensity, that he was going to be much use to us this weekend anyway."