Celtic launched their UEFA Champions League campaign with a dominant 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, a result that underlined their intent in Europe.
The Scottish champions wasted little time asserting their authority, and after just 17 minutes, they were in front.
Liam Scales rose highest to meet an Arne Engels corner, powering his header past Slovan goalkeeper Dominik Takac to open the scoring at Celtic Park.
Brendan Rodgers’ men continued to press, and shortly after the interval, they doubled their advantage.
Nicolas Kuhn delivered a low, driven ball across the face of goal, and Kyogo Furuhashi was on hand to tap home from close range. The Japanese forward’s instinctive finish just two minutes into the second half gave Celtic a commanding grip on the game.
Ten minutes later, Engels, who had been instrumental throughout, stepped up to convert from the penalty spot after a foul in the box.
His composed finish left Takac with no chance, and at 3-0, Celtic looked to be cruising. However, Slovan Bratislava responded quickly.
Kevin Wimmer, the Slovak side’s standout player, gave the travelling fans something to cheer with a stunning curled effort from distance, making it 3-1 and recording Slovan’s first-ever goal in the Champions League.
Despite Wimmer’s goal, Celtic’s dominance was never in doubt. Just 10 minutes after conceding, Daizen Maeda restored their three-goal cushion, firing past Takac with a well-taken strike.
Substitute Adam Idah then added the finishing touch to an emphatic display, poking home from close range after a delightful pass from James Forrest, making it 5-1 with just minutes remaining.
While Celtic fans celebrated a famous European night, their rivals Rangers were notably less enthusiastic.
Many Rangers supporters took to social media to downplay Celtic’s victory, with some labelling Slovan Bratislava as the “worst opponents in Champions League history” in a bid to diminish the significance of their rivals’ win.
However, the attempt to mock Celtic was met with a surprising response. Sports betting giants Paddy Power, known for their sharp wit, were quick to remind Rangers of their own struggles in the Champions League.
The bookmaker trolled Rangers on social media, recalling their dismal group-stage campaign four-years ago, where they set the unwanted record for the worst-ever performance in Champions League group stage history.
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Rangers’ 2020/21 campaign saw them lose all six of their group-stage matches, scoring just one goal and conceding 22, leaving them with a goal difference of -20.
This grim record broke the previous low set by Dinamo Zagreb in 2011/12, who ended their group stage with no points and a -19 goal difference.
Ajax added to Rangers’ misery with a 3-1 victory at Ibrox on Tuesday night, while Napoli also played a significant role in sealing their dismal fate in the group stage.
Remarkably, Rangers weren’t alone in their struggles this season. Czech side Viktoria Plzen finished with zero points and a goal difference of -19, having faced the formidable trio of Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, and Barcelona.
Rangers’ record-breaking Champions League results:
Matchday 1: Ajax 4-0 Rangers
Matchday 2: Rangers 0-3 Napoli
Matchday 3: Liverpool 2-0 Rangers
Matchday 4: Rangers 1-7 Liverpool
Matchday 5: Napoli 3-0 Rangers
Matchday 6: Rangers 1-3 Ajax
Paddy Power’s jab at Rangers referenced the 7-1 humiliation they suffered at the hands of Liverpool at Ibrox, as well as their comprehensive defeats to Ajax, Napoli, and the Reds across the group stage.
While Celtic celebrated a night to remember in Europe, Rangers were forced to reflect on a European campaign many of their fans would prefer to forget, making the contrast between the two clubs’ fortunes all the more striking.