At the start of August in this column, I posed the question: “Is it worth Scottish clubs even bothering trying to qualify for Europe?”
Given what has transpired since, the answer has to be a resounding no.
Within a few days, Dundee United had been trounced 7-0 by AZ Alkmaar, and the much-anticipated return of the two biggest Scottish clubs to the group stages of the Champions League has been an embarrassing shambles.
Of the 10 worst home defeats suffered by Celtic and Rangers in the Champions League era, three have come this season: the Napoli and Real Madrid wins at Ibrox and Celtic Park, respectively, and the heaviest of them all – Liverpool’s stroll in midweek.
In the three-decade-long history of the competition, that 7-1 success was the second biggest recorded away from home, usurped only by 7-0 wins by Marseille and Shakhtar, and Liverpool themselves, at Maribor, in 2017.
Wednesday night was also Rangers’ heaviest loss at Ibrox in any competitive fixture.
Their opening fixture in the group brought Rangers’ biggest-ever away defeat in the Champions League when Ajax tore them apart by four goals to nil.
The statistics this season have been eye-wateringly bad, and Celtic have contributed every bit as much as their city rivals, becoming the first team ever to lose seven successive home games in the Champions League.
Not since a 3-3 draw with Manchester City more than six years ago have they avoided defeat in a group game at Celtic Park.
Both teams are playing in their 11 campaigns in the group stages of the competition. Between them, they have played 128 games and lost 67, and their combined goal difference is minus 100.
Celtic have won just twice away from home, the last of those against Anderlecht in 2017, while Rangers have emerged victorious on four occasions, but not since a 3-0 success at Lyon in 2007.
As for this season, of the 32 teams across the eight groups, Rangers are currently ranked 32nd and Celtic 30th, with only Plzen, who are in with Bayern, Inter and Barcelona, separating them.
Celtic have played some very good football in all four matches so far, but haven’t been able to sustain that for long enough, and they have missed too many opportunities in front of goal.
Rangers have also had their spells, particularly in the home games against Napoli and Liverpool, but ended up losing those games by an aggregate score of 10-1!
Rangers had a superb run in last season’s Europa League, they got on a roll, and recorded some excellent results, but that is their, and Celtic’s, level.
As for the other Scottish clubs – as Hearts are proving – even the Conference League is too hot to handle.
We will no doubt hear noises being made about Celtic and Rangers learning from this season’s experience, about them coming back better and stronger.
They won’t.
Neither Glasgow club has the quality, nor the bank balance, to dine out successfully at the top table of European football.
The Champions League brings the atmosphere and occasion, and of course the massive financial benefits, but it is pointless imagining either Celtic or Rangers making any kind of serious impact in the coming years. It is simply a step too far.
Compared to a year ago, Elgin City are sitting pretty
It has been pleasing to monitor the recent progress of Elgin City, who seem set to give their long-suffering supporters a much more enjoyable campaign than last time around.
I have a good friend who’s an Elgin fan, and I know the angst she experienced last season, when, for a few weeks, it looked as if the club might be sucked into the pyramid play-off to preserve their SPFL status.
They survived but had a slow start to 2022/23, and it appeared they might again be facing a relegation battle.
The transformation in the last couple of months has been remarkable.
One defeat in twelve – a narrow one, away at league leaders Dumbarton – and an unbeaten six-game run, has seen the Borough Briggs outfit slide into the top four.
If Elgin can maintain their consistency levels, they might yet realise the dream of a first promotion since joining the senior set-up.
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