Are Celtic & Rangers in a fit state for Europa League?

Image source, SNSImage caption, Celtic and Rangers fans have staged protests against their respective clubsTwelve months ago, on the eve of Celtic’s campaign opener against Slovan Bratislava, Brendan Rodgers said: “There’s absolutely no doubt this feels like the most ready I’ve been as a Celtic manager going into a Champions League campaign.”The football that followed supported his statement. A venture that kicked off with a comprehensive win over the Slovakians ended with the Glasgow side suffering a gut-wrenching defeat by Bayern Munich to miss out on the last 16. With a few ups and downs along the way.As has been previously highlighted though, that near-miss in Munich has far from galvanised those in green and white. As this season’s calamitous exit in Almaty a month ago would attest to.Instead of backing up that brave effort at the Allianz Arena in February on the big stage again, the Scottish champions have been consigned to the Europa League, alongside their city rivals Rangers.The second-tier competition is familiar and an often comfortable environment for the Ibrox club, who enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals of last term’s edition.But nothing about the season so far has been familiar or comfortable for either of Glasgow’s big two, who both kick off their Europa League campaigns this week.Chants of “sack the board” circle around Celtic before their visit to Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday, while Rangers’ fan protests are aimed at head coach Russell Martin, who will continue his search for a first league win at the weekend after hosting Genk on Thursday.So is either side ready for a run in Europe?Celtic ‘growing’ rather than ‘in crisis’ – RodgersWhen preparing Celtic for their Champions League foray last season, Rodgers said he was “in the best place I’ve been” at the club.One year on, it would be a struggle to say the same, even if, on the face of it, things appear fine.Top of the table, no defeats and just one goal conceded – while already holding a nine-point advantage over 11th-placed Rangers – does not exactly scream crisis, but it is a suggestion Rodgers has been forced to bat away of late.A disappointing transfer window, claims of a “cowardly” insider briefing against him and a support regularly staging protests against the club’s powerbrokers has not exactly brought peace to Parkhead.An impressive, albeit routine, rout of Partick Thistle in the League Cup has picked the mood up slightly – in no small part through Sebastian Tounekti’s tremendous start at the club – but unrest in the stands is still ferocious.Though it has been bubbling away for a while, the Champions League exit at the hands of Kairat Almaty – and the manner of it – accelerated concerns.They would have been welcomed, but fresh faces should not have been required to avoid the embarrassing defeat.Two listless legs against the Kazakhs were followed by an utterly forgettable Old Firm derby as the chance to right some wrongs upon their return from the arduous journey was squandered in one of the dreariest meetings with Rangers to date. Fast forward three weeks and Rodgers insists he is seeing “a fluency and rhythm growing” within his side, while former striker Cillian Sheridan told the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast that Celtic were “back to their old selves” against Thistle.”We’re building,” the manager said after his side set up a semi-final against Rangers. “It’s hard to go through nine months in the season being hot. With everything going on in the window, it’s taken some time for players to come in. “I can see the fluency and the rhythm of the team growing each day.”Rangers require ‘tremendous run’ – BellImage source, SNSImage caption, Some Rangers supporters protested against Russell Martin pre-match on SundayWhile Rodgers saw rhythm, Martin’s word of the day was relief.The 2-0 League Cup win over Hibernian was just the second of the domestic season after an unconvincing victory over third-tier Alloa Athletic in the same competition.It is a win that “dampened down the noise” around the head coach, according to former goalkeeper Cammy Bell, on a day that started with protests before and during the game.The setting-up of a semi-final with Celtic has far from brought out the party poppers for a side who sit second bottom of the Premiership with no wins and three goals scored.Even in their win over Hibs – which Martin said “looked way more like the way I hope we are going to be” – they were exploited at the back and, if not for a handball spotted by VAR, would have been behind through Martin Boyle’s opener.However, entering Europe on a domestic downer is not new for Rangers.Last season, Philippe Clement’s side got off to “the perfect start” away to Malmo on the backdrop of being five points worse off than Celtic, and questions over the club’s summer transfer strategy.Finding solace in that same scenario this season is a struggle, but victory over a struggling Genk could ignite the string of results Bell believes are required to win over the unsatisfied support.”Martin needs to go on a really good run to turn this around,” the former Rangers goalkeeper said on the Scottish Football Podcast.”He’s got to win games. He’s got to go on a tremendous run.”It’s going to take a period of consistent winning – he can’t even afford a draw. They’re 11th in the table, which is unthinkable.”It’s a big ask, but the club have made a stand that they are backing him.”More on this story