Celtic defeat to Real Madrid confirms Rangers superior European coefficient
It’s been a dismal run in Europe for both Rangers and Celtic this season, but yet again the Gers have carried the domestic game when it comes to the coefficient points.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men managed to get two victories on the board, albeit in the qualifying rounds, to trump Celtic in the rankings (Derek Clark, Twitter account, 2 November).
The Hoops’ 5-1 thumping at the hands of defending champions Real Madrid means the Gers racked up more points than their Old Firm rivals.
It’s very much tongue in cheek because everyone involved with Rangers is completely aware of how poor their Champions League campaign was, with the Light Blues officially the worst-performing Champions League side ever.
They did get unlucky with their group, with Liverpool and Napoli likely to be contesting the latter stages of the competition, but the Ibrox faithful would’ve certainly been hoping for at least a couple of draws, or maybe even victory. Celtic cannot get away scot-free, with the Bhoys finishing rock-bottom of a much kinder group which included RB Leipzig and Shakhtar Donestk.
How badly the Old Firm performed in Europe must be a stark wake-up call for the domestic game in Scotland. The disparity in finances compared to the Premier League is unfathomable. Improved TV and sponsorship deals are a must, to try and draw more attention to the SPFL.
Until that happens, it’s hard to see Champions League victories coming any time soon.
In other Rangers news, a “crazy situation” has emerged at Ibrox that’s led to this star player being “gone” from the club.