Summary

  1. Recap from Ibroxpublished at 23:22 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    John Souttar looks dejectedImage source, Getty Images

    That's all the reaction from Ibrox, but you can relive the best of the action below:

    For further analysis, subscribe to our dedicated Rangers page and read Jack Herrall's match report.

    There will be highlights available on the BBC Sport website from 22:00 tomorrow and on BBC One at 22:40.

    We'll be back to do it all again next week for the return leg.

  2. Postpublished at 23:10 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Billy Dodds
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Radio Scotland

    Max Aarons has to show improvement. There's a few that have to be better if they're going to be successful at a club like Rangers.

    The recruitment of the 10 new players is meant to make things better and I think they will improve, but it remains to be seen if they're any better than the players who were here before.

  3. 'Tactics don't come into it'published at 23:06 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Here are the last musings from Rangers head coach Russell Martin:

    "The goals we conceded can't happen anywhere, in any league or any club. I understand the intensity and emotion here but it can't change the way we work and it becomes a weight around the players necks.

    "Now we have to learn from tonight and grow from it. We need to make sure we don't go through that level of pain again and I'm convinced we won't.

    "When you're 2-0 down after seven minutes, tactics don't come into it. It's not about style of play it's about the reaction to the damage inflicted and we didn't react well to it.

    "They all displayed courage in the second half. We recovered properly so they showed that they can be a proper team in the second half.

    "Second half I say we hurt them as much as they hurt us. We'll keep working to get better in every department.

    "The team needs the supporters, we have to give them enough to feel that they can connect with the team. We need everyone at the club to grow together.

    "I came to this club knowing it wasn't going to be easy. It's not going to be a quick fix. I hope we'll be judged in May and by then we'll be in a really good place and winning stuff."

  4. Fans 'entitled to their opinion'published at 23:02 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Russell MartinImage source, Getty Images

    More from Russell Martin: "We won't concede two goals like that again so I said to the players we'll make sure that'll be the hardest it'll ever be for them as a group.

    "There has been fragility in this club for a long, long time so it's not a new thing - when I talk about changing habits and trying to act in a certain way all the time, it's not easy.

    "We didn't respond well to these moments because the club has had a lot of pain for many years.

    "It's really difficult to work through and get over. They were fantastic in the second half. There is a lot of excitement and hope for what's to come."

    [On fans booing]: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We want to be the team on the pitch that the fans are proud of.

    "Now we have owners and a leadership team that understand where the club has been, where's it at and where's it going and it's not going to come without pain.

    "We've done enough to be excited about next week and we're still in the game."

  5. Postpublished at 22:58 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer

    I think Martin used the word brilliantly at least three times, they were 3-0 down after 20 minutes so there's nothing really brilliant about it.

    He did say the precursor to progress is pain, I think that's true but there's only so much pain you can suffer at clubs like this before serious questions are asked of you and your philosophy.

    He can't keep going like these. These kinds of press conferences are really going to anger people if he's going to continue to do them. He needs to back his words up with results.

    This wasn't brilliant, this was 3-0 after 20 minutes and a pretty bleak night.

  6. 'We're going to be the ones chasing and hunting' - Martinpublished at 22:53 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Rangers head coach Russell Martin in his post-match news conference:"We gave them a goal with the first kick of the game in our half.

    "We concede a crazy goal and don't respond to it anywhere near as well enough as we should and then we concede a goal we shouldn't - we don't do our jobs from our set play, which is really frustrating.

    "Then it becomes so difficult and we make decisions based on desperation, anxiety, jump around when we shouldn't.

    "So the gameplan went out the window and we needed a moment to calm down, refocus and reassess.

    "The lads showed amazing resilience in the second half and the tie is till open and the players really feel that.

    "Some of the guys have had a tough start here and the way they played tonight they'll grow so much. Now we're going to be the ones chasing and hunting."

  7. 'Everyone is fearful of making mistakes'published at 22:49 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Allan McGregor
    Former Rangers goalkeeper on Amazon Prime

    Why does it take going behind to get the enthusiasm and start going forward. Why can't Rangers do that from the start?

    It seems at the start everybody is a bit fearful of making a mistake. Rangers need to start on the front foot and make this place a fortress.

  8. Postpublished at 22:45 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Steven Thompson
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

    Martin is asking for time and patience from the supporters.

    It was a better performance in the second half, but I still don't give them much chance in Belgium.

  9. 'No responsibility taken by Martin'published at 22:43 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    No admission of the reasons for the defensive problems at Rangers by Russell Martin.

    He has to take responsibility for the mistakes that are being made week after week.

    The defenders he has brought in aren’t good enough, and his tactics don’t help. He is to blame.

    Graham

    Listening to Martin after the game, his comments have made up my mind even more. [He is] a deluded, self-righteous manager who can't see the dross the fans are watching.

    Petert

  10. Postpublished at 22:41 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Billy Dodds
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Radio Scotland

    Russell Martin spoke positively, but he has to show things are changing and they don't seem to be.

  11. 'Fans deserve better' - Danilopublished at 22:38 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    DaniloImage source, SNS

    Rangers goalscorer Danilo tells Amazon Prime: "It's not the way that we wanted to [play] especially at the start of the game but there is still all to play, it is still in our hands.

    "We don't want to concede that kind of goal so early in the game but it depends on us to change and do better. That's what we did do.

    "It's not what you want to hear, you want the fans behind you and supporting you but we have to get through it. The fans deserve better.

    "I think the goal doesn't matter that much because we lost the game but it gives us a bit of belief. We are Rangers, we always keep the fight, it doesn't matter what the score is. Hopefully we can get the result."

  12. Postpublished at 22:35 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Allan McGregor
    Former Rangers goalkeeper on Amazon Prime

    Rangers had 15 shots, one on target which was the goal.

    Is that good enough?

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 22:33 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Honestly we are deluding ourselves if we think this team can compete at this level. And worse-case scenario is that they can’t even compete domestically either. The defence was all over the place and there was no passion from that team - it was embarrassing and the blame lies squarely with Russell Martin.

    His mum needn't worry too much longer about him as he won’t last and he’ll be on his way back south sooner rather later we hope.

    Brian

    Don’t be surprised if Rangers get battered next week. Bomb scare at the back. They have goals in them but they will need to score four or five if they want to progress because you know they are going to concede.

    Moog

    Had the misfortune to watch Russell Martin's management at Southampton. It was heartbreaking, he wanted to build from the back which meant passing across your own six-yard box. Attackers watched this so any mistakes were pounced on. Even worse he couldn't see where it was going wrong.

    Mark

  14. Postpublished at 22:31 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Billy Dodds
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Radio Scotland

    Those kind of goals they're losing, that's not on the manager.

    Russell Martin will hold his hand up and look at the set-plays but some of the individual decision-making within the goals is crazy.

  15. 'The precursor to change is pain'published at 22:28 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    More from Rangers head coach Russell Martin:

    "The fans are all entitled to their opinion but we're going to need them so much.

    "This club has had a long period, bar one season, where it hasn't been as successful as it wants to be so we need to come together.

    "The team is going to need the fans. The precursor to change is pain. I knew coming here there was going to be some pain early on, we need to make sure the pain is worth it.

    "We will grow together through this but we have to grow together as a club. We need to give supporters more moments like we did in the second half. The fans are the most important people in the club.

    "We want to qualify for the Champions League and we'll do everything we can next week.

    "The club has bounced around through too many plans that haven't really worked. We have a plan. The level of resilience the team showed tonight, we will grow from that I really believe it.

    "That goal changes everything. We have the privilege of hunting and chasing. We go in as underdogs, I'll enjoy that and I think the players will as well."

  16. 'You can't impact it from the sidelines' - Martinpublished at 22:26 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Rangers head coach Russell Martin tells Amazon Prime:"I'm really proud of the second half, the game is not over, the tie is not over.

    "The energy was completely different in the second half and I'm really proud of them for that because it wasn't easy. That's the hardest a lot of these players are going to face.

    "You can't impact it from the sidelines. You put a gameplan in place to try and win the game but the decision-making changes because we're so anxious.

    "We were far too open, that wasn't the gameplan. In the second half we didn't change very much but we were much more competitive and looked a threat. The players ran really hard for each other and I'm proud of them for that."

    Russell MartinImage source, SNS
  17. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 22:24 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Let's be honest, Rangers are simply not good enough and don't have enough decent players. I can't see them winning anything with Russell Martin as manager. He was shocking at Southampton and his current defence doesn't seem any better. It looks like a long hard season for Rangers.

    Rob

    The midfield was hiding tonight. I lost count of the amount of times Rothwell played the ball to Souttar, then turned his back and jogged away. Huge gaps between the centre halves and midfield. Not good enough. We will not progress with Rothwell in the team.

    Barry

    I think everyone needs to get behind Russell Martin. Rome wasn’t built in a day and booing after every indifferent performance doesn’t help anyone.

    Andrew

  18. Postpublished at 22:19 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Russell Martin is talking to Amazon Prime.

    "That's as hard as it will ever be for the players on the pitch. I'm proud of how they responded."

    More to come...

  19. 'Rangers have probably thrown it away'published at 22:17 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Billy Dodds
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Radio Scotland

    I didn't like watching the first half but Club Brugge were sensational, their offensive players were on it.

    Rangers have probably thrown it away. I wouldn't rule it out just yet but they've got a slim chance. At half-time, they had no chance.

    Overall, it'll be disappointing because they lost the game at home but it was self-inflicted. A spirited second half but there are more goals in the Belgian side.

  20. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 22:14 BST 19 August 2025

    FT: Rangers 1-3 Club Brugge

    Djiga vu

    Geo

    To compete at this level Rangers (and other Scottish teams) need to consistently develop their own players. Can't rely on loans and English championship players to make an impact

    James

    Its mad to have such an important game so soon with an entire new squad and new manager and have basically your entire transfer budget resting on the outcome. No wonder Scottish football never gets anywere.

    Paul