UNPALATABLE as it might be, Rangers could end their Champions League group with no points. After three games and not a goal scored, even the most optimistic Bears know it will be tough to mount a salvage job.
The opening match against Ajax resulted in a 4-0 loss and it could have been worse as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side failed to turn up. A decent performance against Napoli unravelled after an hour when James Sands got sent off and late goals made the 3-0 defeat more emphatic than it actually was. Liverpool at Anfield ended 2-0 but it could have been a much heavier outcome but for some brilliant saves by Allan McGregor.
It’s unlikely that any points will be gathered against Liverpool at Ibrox on Wednesday and in the next game at high-flying Napoli - now being tipped to go all the way in the tournament. The final encounter against Ajax is perhaps the best chance of bagging a point or maybe three.
Napoli will probably have already qualified before they meet Rangers in game five and might rest their stars. Then again, they might want to keep a 100 per cent record. That means Liverpool can’t hold back this week in Govan. A win leaves them needing just more point from their two remaining ties to guarantee qualification with the Italians.
The likelihood is that Ajax will arrive in Glasgow for the final match requiring only to avoid a thrashing. That will put them in third spot and into the Europa League. The outlook for Rangers is poor.
All of this is not what Gers fans want to hear but a harsh reality has to be faced. The Champions League is the top level in world football. Rangers, and Celtic, are out of their depth among the elite. Yes, smaller teams sometimes have a decent run in the competition but that depends on getting a favourable group.
Unfortunately for Rangers, the third seeds were Napoli who are destroying everyone - having rattled four goals past Liverpool and six against Ajax. That made it an extremely tough ask for last season’s Europa League finalists.
Given the increasing gulf in budgets between top countries and their poor cousins - like Scotland - qualifying from a Champions League group is now more difficult than ever.
When the Old Firm teams go shopping for a player they are looking in the £5m to £8m market. Ajax and Napoli have £20m to £50m to spend on a signing and Liverpool can shell out £50m to £100m. Their annual wage bill is £300m and boss Jurgen Klopp has spent almost £600m on his squad. That’s a galaxy away from Rangers’ budget.
And the gap between rich and poor in football is growing thanks to UEFA covertly changing the group stage payments. Now there are ‘performance bonuses’ of almost £3m for a win and £1m for a draw.
If Napoli and Liverpool both end on 15 points they will rake in £15m each plus another £10m apiece for making the last 16. Rangers, if they fail to get a point, will earn precisely nothing from the bonus scheme. There will be payments for making the group stage and TV cash but it will be a pittance compared to the big boys.
In previous tournaments, money was shared more evenly between group teams but this new system was nodded through behind closed doors.
Be in no doubt, there was a political element to this with UEFA hoping to fend off another breakaway Super League. That’s why the cash is front-loaded to favour the top clubs - with lesser likes used as fodder to make the numbers up.
There’s now not even a cursory attempt to establish a more level playing field, not a scintilla of sensitivity to the concept of fair play. The Champions League might not be a de facto Super League - yet. But it’s beginning to look like one.
Of course, having deep pockets doesn’t automatically guarantee you success, it’s said. The reality is that it usually does. Better players win you games in almost every case.
The only way Rangers and Celtic can join the top level is by moving to England’s top flight. For too many reasons to list here, it won’t happen anytime soon.
Having said all that, and allowing for the gulf in class, none of the above should be used as an excuse for some woeful performances from the Gers in Europe.
Van Bronckhorst has to find a way in the remaining three games to restore pride. Few, if any, fans expect the team to qualify so these matches should be seen as a free hit. There’s nothing to lose and fighting displays will lift morale and spark those who have struggled to find form.
That’s not to say Rangers should attack at full throttle and lose silly goals but the players can press more and unsettle their opponents, make them scrap for every ball. That is the least you expect. If you give too much respect to a team, that leads to players becoming nervous. Finding the right balance - showing respect but not fear - is what the manager must instil.
A combination of injuries and new signings struggling to adjust to life at a new club can account for some of the slump but too many established players have failed to reach the standards of last term.
Fans can accept defeats against quality sides. It’s not losing that rankles, it’s the manner of it. Taking hidings saps the spirit and confidence levels drop. When that happens it has a corrosive influence and it’s tough to find a way back. Those who were heroes last term shouldn’t suddenly become liabilities. Players must fight for that jersey in the next three games.
If this Rangers side go out of Europe, let them do it with their heads up, knowing they gave their all. That’s all the fans want - and it’s what they deserve.
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