Ahead of Rangers’ Champions League thrashing at the hands of Liverpool, Napoli continued their fine form in Champions League Group A by dumping Dutch champions Ajax.
Luciano Spalletti’s side ran out 4-2 winners against the Dutch club courtesy of goals spread across the Italian side’s vibrant forward line.
Mexican winger Hirving Loazano got the Serie A leaders off to a flyer scoring after only four minutes as Napoli picked up where they left off from last week.
After thrashing Ajax 6-1 in Amsterdam, Napoli were 2-0 up within 16 minutes with Giacomo Raspadori getting the second.
However, Ajax would respond just after halftime through Davy Klassen before Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia restored their two-goal lead from the penalty spot.
Steven Bergwijn then got his own penalty goal before Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen rounded off the scoring with a minute of normal time to play.
Rangers’ faint Champions League Group A hopes still alive
Remarkably, the result means that Rangers are not completely out of the Europa League running although the Gers’ chances of qualification remain decidedly slim.
Napoli have now won all four of their opening Champions League matches and sit in first place with Liverpool’s nine points seeing them in second.
Ajax are in third on three points with Rangers rooted to the bottom with no points, meaning that an unlikely draw in Naples and Liverpool winning in Amsterdam takes this group to matchday six.
If Rangers can perform the impossible and earn a point in Italy, and Ajax lose to Liverpool in Amsterdam, victory over the Dutch club in the final group game at Ibrox would see us go into the Europa League.
Now wouldn’t that be a turn up for the books?
In the aftermath of Rangers’ painful Champions League defeat to Liverpool, one Ibrox director continues to get it in the neck.