If Rangers suffering a third straight defeat in the Champions League group stages wasn’t bad enough, after the latest round of fixtures the Ibrox side are the only team not to score a goal or register a point.
Perhaps one saving grace is that the Gers are one of three sides who haven’t registered a victory but it’ll come as little solace to supporters who fear Rangers might put in one of the worst Champions League campaigns in history.
Of course Rangers aren’t helped by having such a challenging group; Liverpool, Napoli and Ajax are not only hard to beat, well coached and well drilled, but they have remarkable quality in the final third.
But whilst a lack of talent can sometimes be excused a lack of application cannot and Gers fans are frustrated with what they view as apathetic and uninspiring performances at Champions League level.
Rangers face Champions League embarrassment
The likes of Viktoria Plzen have arguably got it even worse, the Czech outfit having to face Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan in a challenging Group C.
Plzen’s goal difference of -11 is worse than Rangers’ -9, meaning they are the worst performing team at the tournament but at least they registered a goal in the 5-1 defeat to Barcelona on matchday one.
The other side – Israeli club Maccabi Haifa – also do not have it easy against Benfica, PSG and Juventus but having scored twice in the competition, and having a goal difference of -6, it appears they are performing marginally better than Rangers.
FC Copenhagen are also yet to score but have a point courtesy of 0-0 draw with Sevilla.
There are still three matches to play and all is not lost for a Rangers team who are genuinely struggling to lay a glove on any of the competition at this season’s tournament.
Ibrox boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has urged his team to bring the competition to the final group game, where Rangers play Ajax in Glasgow.
“It’s a very, very difficult group with teams from a high level,” said van Bronckhorst [Rangers].
“You see big defeats in this group stage and that means results have to come our way in the next two games.
“That’s the only thing we can have still. The chance to play Ajax in the last game with a chance to qualify for Europe after the break.”
In order for the Ibrox side to have any realistic hope of making the Europa League after Christmas, they will need to pick up at least a point at home to Liverpool next week or against Napoli in Italy.
For that to realistically happen, we’re going to have to find the back of the net.
Meanwhile, one Ibrox international has been on the receiving end of criticism for a perceived lack of commitment at Rangers.
