Rangers’ hopes of reaching the Champions League group stages took a massive hit last night, with Russell Martin’s side falling to a 3-1 home defeat in the first leg of their play-off tie against Club Brugge.
The Belgian side came into this fixture at Ibrox as the more team, a tag that was quickly justified. Rangers would display some calamitous defending right at the start of the contest, finding themselves 2-0 down after just seven minutes.
An embarrassing mixup at the back would allow Club Brugge to open the scoring in the third minute.
A disastrous start for Rangers 😫
A huge mix-up between the back line, gives Romeo Vermant a chance and he takes full advantage finishing brilliantly 💥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/UB81M76kIu
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 19, 2025
Not great.
The defending for the second goal wasn’t much better, with Jorge Spileers being left completely free in the box from a corner.
GOL DO BRUGGE
🏴 Rangers 0x2 Club Brugge 🇧🇪
⚽ Jorge Spileers
🏆 UEFA Champions League | Play-offs – Ida
📺 @TNTSportsBR pic.twitter.com/51WzByernO
— Futeboleiros (@Futteboleiroos) August 19, 2025
Club Brugge would all but end the tie in the 21st minute, taking a 3-0 lead via an excellent strike from Brandon Mechele.
That was enough for some of the Ibrox crowd, who left the ground less than halfway through the first period.
It’s all too much for some Rangers fans…
21 minutes in and they’re heading for the exits.
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/jqTgkUInHR
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 19, 2025
While Pereira Danilo would pull one back for Rangers in the second half, they face a huge task to overturn the 3-1 deficit in Belgium next week.
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Kris Boyd Has Sky Sports Meltdown After Rangers’ Champions League Collapse
It has been a difficult start to the season for Rangers, who have also taken just two points from their opening pair of Scottish Premiership fixtures.
Frustrations are already growing with the team under new manager Russell Martin, with Kris Boyd among those unhappy with last night’s performance.
Appearing on Sky Sports for the game, he would cut a frustrated figure throughout Club Brugge’s first half onslaught.
Rangers 0-1 Club Brugge ⚽️
A defensive horror hands Club Brugge the lead 😮 pic.twitter.com/UM8rK6fD63
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 19, 2025
You talk about a calamity, honestly…
From Rangers point of view, it’s a really, really poor goal to lose.
He was even less happy after the second goal.
Boyd would label their display as ’embarrassing’, writing off their hopes in the tie just seven minutes in.
“Champions League football…. Rangers can forget it!”
Rangers 0-2 Club Brugge ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/8nfNDqCOJC
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 19, 2025
Rangers just come up with new ways how to lose goals, it’s embarrassing. The first one was bad enough, this one is just as bad.
Somebody inside the 18-yard box just standing along, he sidefoots it into the ground…
2-0 after seven minutes. Champions League football? Rangers can forget it.
By the time the third goal came around, Boyd looked like a broken man.
An all timer pic.twitter.com/UEEMNzrymN
— Nathan (@nathangreennn) August 19, 2025
While Rangers would produce a better performance in the second half, it would still be a massive surprise were they to overturn this deficit in Belgium next week.
Should the tie go as expected, Russell Martin will already find himself under immense pressure.
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