Rangers were eliminated from the Europa Conference League play-off round after a penalty shootout loss to FK Jablonec. The team's performance has drawn sharp criticism from manager Derek McInnes, who described himself as "mortified" by the "gutless" display.
After securing a 1-0 lead in the first leg in Glasgow, Rangers conceded a second-half goal in the Czech Republic, which forced the tie into extra-time. The match was ultimately decided by penalties, where Findlay Curtis and James Penrice missed their spot-kicks, confirming Rangers' exit.
This defeat means Rangers will not participate in European football this season, a situation that last occurred following their loss to Progres Niederkorn in 2017. McInnes acknowledged that the team's performance was "abject" and "not good enough," stating that the opposition was superior in most aspects of the game.
"I’m embarrassed with the performance," McInnes said. "The only people who represented the club well tonight were my staff, the support staff in the preparation. We do so much right here to get the players ready and in peak condition to go and perform. And the supporters, who to a man were outstanding, getting behind the team despite watching what we all watched."
The manager highlighted issues with winning duels, securing second balls, and maintaining possession. He also noted that the team's press was ineffective and challenges were not won strongly enough.
Rangers played without midfielder Nico Raskin, who was left behind in Glasgow due to transfer interest. McInnes stated that while Raskin's absence was felt, particularly in the midfield experience, it was not the sole reason for the defeat. He emphasized that the team should have had sufficient depth to secure a victory.
"It’s such a low point. I’m gutted for the supporters because they’ve come here. We come over on a charter flight, we stay in a nice hotel, we get all the preparation, and they come here whatever way they can," McInnes added. "They don’t always need to see their team perform brilliantly, but they do deserve to see their team perform way better than that. For that, it’s not good enough."
The club now faces a crucial match against Aberdeen on Sunday, with the pressure mounting on McInnes following this European exit.