Rangers Collapse Early Against Club Brugge To Leave Martin Facing Fans’ Wrath

Russell Martin’s eighth lucifer of a Rangers reign already riddled pinch doubts proved adjacent to a surviving nightmare. Championship promotion races and playoffs, nan sick winds of struggling successful nan Premier League person thing connected nan fever-dream pressures of failing to move astir 1 of Glasgow’s giants.

Martin whitethorn beryllium a believer successful his ain processes but successful an situation wherever threat decisions are often sustained, he does not person agelong to group them successful place. The chances of Rangers playing Champions League shot alternatively than nan Europa League are an extracurricular chance aft a first-half capacity of rank ineptitude, nan reside and astir apt nan two-legged necktie group by a horrible opening 20 minutes successful which 3 soft goals were conceded. So early successful his stewardship, Martin is still successful nan experimental shape and until a revival successful nan 2nd half nan research looked apt to beryllium abandoned immoderate clip soon.

Jayden Meghoma was making his debut astatine left-back, nan Brentford loanee acquainted to Martin from Southampton. James Tavernier, nine captain, was benched, pinch different Premier League loanee, Max Aarons astatine right-back. Christos Tzolis, reportedly precocious connected Crystal Palace’s database should Eberechi Eze depart, and a scorer for Greece astatine Hampden Park successful March, was earmarked arsenic Brugge’s threat man, seasoned Hans Vanaken arsenic nan roving playmaker. They did not return agelong to deed their straps.

Ibrox initially backed its team. With Europa League qualification banked, Rangers went astatine their task positively. Though briefly. In nan 3rd infinitesimal came 1 of those moments that scar Martin’s reign truthful far. His managerial career, too. Danilo’s changeable astatine nan Brugge extremity was blocked and wrong seconds Rangers were a extremity down, nan shot bouncing to Tzolis, whose onward shot caught a dozing Nasser Djiga unawares, goalkeeper Jack Butland stranded. Romeo Vermant’s lobbed decorativeness was exquisite, moreover if granted nan state of Govan.

To compound disaster, Rangers’ messiness of a zonal defence allowed Jorne Spileers to changeable location Vermant’s area 4 minutes later, defenders stock-still. By nan 20th minute, nan necktie felt each but decided, barroom barracking for Rangers players and manager.

Russell Martin holds his caput successful anguish during a achy defeat. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Brandon Mechele celebrated his 500th Brugge quality by seizing connected a loose ball, drilling home, again unchallenged, sending fans barrelling for nan exits. A grim, disfigured exposure. Whatever Martin is attempting, specified moments only trim down his chances of being fixed time. Never successful 61 years of European shot had Rangers fallen truthful acold down truthful quickly.

Nicky Hayen, nan Brugge coach, was astatine adjacent Haverfordwest while Martin managed Championship Swansea successful nan 2021-22 season. In 2025, nan gulf betwixt their teams during that first 45 minutes was aching. The half-time guidance was rancorous but Rangers players returned pinch higher energy, and their lifeline arrived. Meghoma burst down nan left, supplying Danilo for a close-range finish. That injected positivity into Ibrox, Brugge’s defenders acold little composed arsenic Djeidi Gassama was nan liveliest.

At last, nan attacking shot Martin evangelises, though nan backmost doorway remained open, Butland saved erstwhile Mechele was again unmarked from a corner. On nan hour, Martin threw connected Hamza Igamane and Thelo Aasgaard, pinch Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore soon arriving alongside Tavernier.

Brugge, mindful of their advantage, retreated into their shell, looking to nan antagonistic and Rangers’ propensity for mistakes for their opportunities to attack. And inviting Rangers on, they seemed to person conceded again, Gassama forcing nan shot location from adjacent scope only for him to beryllium penalised for knocking nan shot from seasoned goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s grasp. It looked marginal, astatine best, and stopped nan tile being raised but did astatine slightest propose Rangers had improved from nan abject gloom of nan first half.

Mignolet was surely nan busier goalkeeper arsenic nan extremity of nan first limb beckoned. Rangers had only partially redeemed themselves but Martin, 1 of life’s optimists, will return nan positives from a marked improvement. The truth was it could hardly person been immoderate worse. Better – acold far amended – must travel successful Belgium if Rangers are to person immoderate dream successful nan 2nd leg.