Soccer
Rangers boss Derek McInnes admitted his team’s aggregate defeat to Poland’s Jagiellonia Bialystok proved they were not ready to compete in the Europa League proper.
If Rangers are to have any European football to look forward to beyond the end of August, they must beat Czech side Jablonec in the Conference League play-offs after dropping out of UEFA’s second-tier competition.
Having lost the first leg of their third-round qualifying tie 2-1 on the road last week, Rangers could only manage a 1-1 draw at Ibrox Stadium on Thursday, going out 3-2 on aggregate.
Lawrence Shankland’s first-half penalty – his first goal for the club since following McInnes from Hearts – put Rangers ahead, but a towering Nik Prelec header dumped them out of the competition.
Boos rang around Ibrox at the final whistle, with McInnes already under pressure after failing to win any of his first four competitive matches with the club (D2 L2).
McInnes admitted afterwards that the furious reaction of the home fans was “justified”, with Rangers now guaranteed to endure a season without a minimum of Europa League group-stage football for the first time since 2017-18.
And the former Hearts boss admitted Rangers were simply not up to the required standard, telling reporters: “It is not great to watch.
“My team went from some good highs in the first half to being as poor as we were in the second half, and you have to say we didn’t do enough.
“The club is built for the Champions League and Europa League, but I don’t think the team is ready for it, and it pains me to say that.
Derek McInnes spoke to @RangersTV following tonight’s match at Ibrox. pic.twitter.com/qScwGS1bUm
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) August 13, 2026
“We need to get more quality; we need to get more confidence into the team.
“That is the job I came into Rangers to do. With Rangers finishing third last season, what was served up wasn’t good enough. We have to get things moving in the right way quickly.
“We should be winning this game. Jagiellonia are a decent team with some good players and I think they’re well coached, but Rangers, at their best, should be winning this.”
Rangers have a quick turnaround ahead of their next game, as they face St. Mirren in a League Cup second-round tie on Sunday.
Those same two sides will then do battle in the Premiership six days later, with the Glasgow giants desperate to finally get their campaign up and running.
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