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đ¨ Breaking News: Russell Martin Shares Shocking Verdict After Humiliating Rangers Collapse in Brugge
Rangersâ European campaign ended in absolute disaster on Wednesday night as Russell Martinâs side were brutally dismantled by Club Brugge in a record-equalling 6-0 defeat â confirming a 9-1 aggregate loss that will haunt the Ibrox faithful for years to come.
The humiliation has now sparked fresh debate about the deep-rooted problems inside the club, with Martin himself admitting that Rangersâ failings cannot be pinned solely on managerial changes.
> âTo be fair, Rangers have had three or four managers since Steven Gerrard, and not one of them has managed to get good results. It canât just be the managersâ fault â there is a serious misunderstanding in that dressing room. The players have no respect for the manager or the club,â Martin said in a brutally honest post-match verdict.
đ´ A Nightmare in Belgium
From the opening whistle, Rangers looked like a team completely out of their depth. A chaotic first eight minutes set the tone for what was to come. Nicolo Tresoldiâs diving header gave Brugge the lead, before Max Aarons compounded the misery with a needless red card for dragging down Christos Tzolis.
Captain Hans Vanaken powered home from a corner to double the advantage, and Rangers completely collapsed before the interval. Joaquin Seys struck twice â once from a rebound and again with a superb volley â before Aleksandar Stankovic made it five with a simple header.
By half-time, Rangers trailed 5-0, their defence cut to ribbons, their spirit seemingly broken.
The second half brought little respite. Just five minutes after the restart, Tzolis pierced through Rangersâ fragile backline to add a sixth, sealing one of the darkest nights in the clubâs European history.
â˝ Historical Humiliation
The 6-0 thrashing equals Rangersâ heaviest European defeat, previously set against Real Madrid in 1963, and mirrors the 7-1 humiliation at the hands of Liverpool in 2022.
What makes matters worse for the Ibrox club is that just four months ago, Rangers were competing in the Europa League quarter-finals. The gulf in performance since then has left fans questioning whether the current squad has the fight to compete at the highest level.
đŚ The Bigger Picture â Dressing Room Divide?
Russell Martinâs candid admission that the problem may run deeper than coaching will ring alarm bells at Ibrox. Since Gerrardâs departure, Rangers have burned through managers â Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, Philippe Clement, Barry Ferguson (interim) â yet the results have remained largely underwhelming.
Now, Martin faces the monumental task of regaining both control of the dressing room and the trust of a restless fanbase.
đĽ Celtic Clash Looms
The timing could not be worse for Rangers. Their next fixture is none other than the seasonâs first Old Firm showdown, with Celtic visiting Ibrox this Sunday. While Celtic themselves suffered European disappointment in Kazakhstan this week, Brendan Rodgersâ side will see this as a golden opportunity to heap even more misery on their rivals.
Anything less than a strong performance from Martinâs men risks turning Ibrox toxic.
đ Whatâs Next?
Europa League Draw: Rangers will find out their opponents on Friday at 12:00 BST in Monaco.
Old Firm Derby: Rangers vs Celtic, Sunday 12:00 BST at Ibrox.
For Russell Martin, the message is clear: recover immediately or face the prospect of losing both the dressing room and the supporters.
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