Rangers vs Celtic: A battle for pride after Champions League humiliation | OneFootball

The Europa League should not be the stage for Rangers or Celtic.

Both clubs define themselves by their European heritage, but the reality is that neither will be in the Champions League group stage this season.

For two clubs that view themselves as continental heavyweights, the Europa League feels like a step down, and their failures in qualification have only reinforced that sense of regression.

Rangers were embarrassed by Club Brugge, losing 9-1 on aggregate in a tie that exposed both their lack of quality and their fragile mentality.

A 6-0 hammering in Belgium was one of the darkest nights in their European history and left Russell Martin already under pressure just weeks into his reign.

His record of three wins from 10 games is uninspiring, and his side has stumbled through the league campaign without a single victory in their opening three fixtures.

For a club that insists on challenging Celtic, this is nowhere near the required standard. Celtic’s exit was less humiliating in scoreline but no less damaging in substance.

Failing to score in 210 minutes against Kairat Almaty before losing on penalties was a monumental failure for Brendan Rodgers’ team.

Supporters had hoped that last season’s push against Bayern Munich was the start of progress, but instead the club has gone backwards.

Questions about ambition, recruitment and leadership at board level have returned with full force.

Yet, for all the European disappointment, the Old Firm derby is still capable of shifting narratives.

Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday in the first league meeting of the season, and the stakes feel as high as ever.

Martin desperately needs a result to calm an increasingly restless fanbase. A defeat here would leave his position even more vulnerable heading into the international break.

For Celtic, the challenge is to prove that their domestic dominance can withstand another turbulent European exit.

Rodgers’ side has started the Premiership with three straight wins, all without conceding, and they top the table heading into Govan.

That form contrasts sharply with Rangers, who are already six points behind and struggling to establish any momentum.

History suggests this will not be straightforward for Celtic.

Despite their strong start, they have failed to win any of their last three league meetings with Rangers, losing two.

For Rodgers, victory would reinforce his grip domestically. For Martin, defeat could accelerate the crisis.

Europa League football is a harsh reality for both clubs, but in Glasgow, survival of pride starts with beating the other.