Athletic Club v Rangers FC - UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg Nico Williams left winger of Athletic Club and Spaincelebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between Athletic Club and Rangers FC at Estadio de San Mames on April 17, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. Bilbao Spain PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: Imago Images
Rangers manager Derek McInnes admitted he was “mortified” by his side’s dismal UEFA Conference League play-off exit against Czech side Jablonec.
The Light Blues fell at the play-off stage following a 4-3 penalty shoot-out defeat at the Stadion Strelnice, surrendering a lead they had built from the first leg at Ibrox.
Rangers had gone into the tie holding a 1-0 advantage from the opening match, but their hopes of progression unravelled on Czech soil in disappointing fashion.
Jablonec midfielder Vakhtang Tchanturishvili struck in the 73rd minute to level the tie on aggregate, forcing the match into extra time with no further goals scored.
The shoot-out proved equally painful, with attacker Findlay Curtis firing his spot-kick over the bar during the decisive penalty exchange.
Goalkeeper Ivor Pandur did save from Filip Zorvan, but James Penrice was denied by Jablonec keeper Jan Hanus, leaving Jan Chramosta to score the decisive penalty and send the home side through.
This European exit compounded an already difficult start to the season, with Rangers having previously been knocked out of the Europa League qualifiers by Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.
McInnes, who arrived from Hearts in the summer and has signed 12 players since taking charge, now faces mounting scrutiny over the direction of his rebuilding project at Ibrox.
The Rangers boss spoke candidly after the final whistle, offering a frank assessment of where responsibility for the performance lies within the squad and the dugout.
“I’m mortified by the performance. I know you can lose games of football, but we should have enough in the building to take care of that tonight,” McInnes said after the defeat.
He acknowledged the disruption caused by a large squad turnover but refused to hide behind it as a reasonable excuse for such a poor display in Europe.
“Yes, there’s been a big turnover of players. Yes, we looked very inexperienced at times. But the responsibility is mine to make sure that we are better than what we served up tonight,” he said.
McInnes was unsparing in his verdict, adding: “And we were miles short, miles short.”
He also made clear that while he accepts personal accountability, the players themselves must shoulder a share of the blame for such a damaging result.
“I’ll take responsibility for the result, but the responsibility is shared. The players have got to be better than that,” McInnes said, sending a direct message to his squad.
He went on to express his embarrassment at the result and sympathy for the supporters who made the journey to witness the defeat in the Czech Republic.
“It’s such a low point. I’m embarrassed with the result. I’m gutted for the supporters because they’ve come here,” the Rangers manager added.
McInnes now faces the challenge of lifting a young and unsettled squad while navigating the increasing pressure that comes with European exits at a club of Rangers’ stature.
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