Russell Martin's tenure at Rangers continues on its disastrous downward spiral with a humiliating Champions League play-off defeat to Club Brugge in Belgium, 6-0 on the night and 9-1 on aggregate.
The Light Blues faced a monumental task after losing 3-1 in the first leg at Ibrox and were a goal down after just five minutes from a Nicolo Tresoldi header before Gers right-back Max Aarons was shown a straight red card three minutes later for hauling back Christos Tzolis.
As the 10-man Govan side spectacularly capitulated, goals from captain Hans Vanaken, Joaquin Seys' brace - and Aleksandar Stankovic had the home side five up at the break.
HT Club Brugge 5-0 Rangers (8-1 on aggregate)
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 27, 2025
Rangers' #ChampionsLeague hopes are in tatters. They're being hammered in Belgium. #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/XXUUtoQZtk
Tzolis made it 6-0 just five minutes into the second half, which, mercifully for Rangers, brought no more pain in terms of the scoreline. However, the ramifications will be considerable.
Martin was already under severe pressure but the abysmal embarrassment of a performance which leaves him with three wins from 10 games, and the uproar from fans who have lost hope, may force the club's new USA-based owners and investors to think again.
FT: Club Brugge 6-0 Rangers (9-1 on aggregate)
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 27, 2025
"I don't see a way back for Russell Martin"- Alan Cawley thinks a joint-record European defeat will cost the Gers boss his job after just ten games #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/I0h4BEIgDH
Rangers lose out on Champions League football, which will cost them £20million (€23.1m) and possibly more, as they drop into the Europa League but one of the worst nights in the club's history will not be forgotten any time soon.
The Light Blues somehow have to regroup for the visit of Celtic on Sunday, where defeat will leave them nine points behind their Old Firm rivals with only four William Hill Premiership fixtures completed.
Robbie Keane's Ferencvaros side almost pulled off a comeback win over Qarabag but despite a 3-2 victory on the night, just missed on reaching the Champions League league phase.
Keane was seeking to become the first Irish manager to reach the Champions League proper since David O'Leary with Leeds United in 2000-01 but the prospect looked remote after a 3-1 home defeat to Qarabag in the opening leg.
Lenny Joseph put them in front early, however, with a goal which was originally flagged offside before VAR intervened to award the goal. Qarabag would hit back and take the lead by half-time, goals from Leandro Andrade and Abdellah Zoubir putting the Azerbaijani side into a commanding 5-2 lead on aggregate.
That looked to be that but a Barnabas Varga penalty on 55 minutes levelled the game on the night and then Alex Toth forced home a goal from close range to tee up a grandstand finale. In a frantic endgame, Varga came incredibly close to levelling the tie, his header being saved at the near post and his sliding rebound attempt flying over the bar.
Elsewhere, Benfica booked their place in the league phase with a 1-0 win over Fenerbache, Kerem Akturkoglu's strike after 35 minutes the only goal of the tie.
While FC Copenhagen are also through, goals from Andreas Cornelius and Youssoufa Moukoko giving them a 2-0 win over Basel, the Danes progressing 3-1 on aggregate.
