As Rangers stumble in the Scottish Premiership title race, it’s in the Champions League where succumbing to Celtic could yet be most costly.
The Ibrox support are one more bad result away from turning on a team whose leadership group has time and again bottled it in the big moments.
No one wants to be the “moral winners” Philippe Clement, we just want to be plain old winners.
Now, for the final time, unless this profligate and mentally fragile Rangers team can overcome their own capitulation to rescue the title, they’re going to hand Celtic a Champions League fortune.
Rangers could hand Celtic £30m Champions League fortune
With Rangers really the only Scottish side worth their salt in Europe, the shortcomings of our Glaswegian neighbours and everyone else has been laid bare this week.
Scotland has lost its automatic Champions League spot – which was earned by the European exploits of Rangers – to the Czech Republic.
This means next season will be the final campaign, at least until the rest of Scottish football sorts its act out on the continent, that a Scottish team will gain automatic entry into the Champions League.
For the last two seasons, courtesy of Rangers’ domestic shortcomings, Celtic have romped to the guaranteed fortune of Champions League qualification at our expense.
Now, with the group stage revamped and an additional £30m up for grabs for its participants, yet more domestic capitulation has positioned Celtic in the Champions League driving seat.
They are now in pole position to benefit from our European exploits for a third season on the trot.
Whilst the team who finishes second could still qualify for Europe’s elite competition, both sides of the Old Firm know it’s a road to the tournament fraught with danger.
Ibrox shortcomings surrender Old Firm momentum
It is quite remarkable that only eight days ago did this Rangers side have the potential to open up a five point gap over Celtic with five games to play.
Now, should Rangers overcome Dundee on Wednesday, then the Parkhead club will hold the advantage and a one point lead heading into the split.
Nothing is settled quite yet but whilst confidence rises in the east end, the ominous signs of collapse are all around Rangers with confidence in this team sapping by every wasteful, profligate minute they spend on the pitch.
We are devastated with the lack of responsibility, quality and leadership displayed by this Rangers team and if Celtic go on to lift it from here, it has to be the end of the road for the core who’ve proven that they do not have the ability nor the mentality to overcome our Old Firm rivals.
The scar tissue is being raked over one final time and if the title is gone, then there are several in the squad who have to sign off with their heads bowed low.
The cost of this team’s wastefulness and fragile mentality will be laid bare by Celtic lifting another Scottish Premiership which was – quite remarkably in fairness – well within our grasp only a week ago.
But it’s not just on the park where these shortcomings against our Old Firm rivals are set to cost us.
Should Celtic nudge closer to us with their 54th title, the Parkhead side will also open up an additional £30m+ gap in a damning indictment of the players, the management, and the board.
No-one at Ibrox is immune from criticism for letting this slip and any confidence in this group to turn it around is alarmingly scarce in Govan.
