Alious
Rangers’ Europa League misery deepened in Hungary as defensive lapses once again proved their undoing. Despite taking the lead through a brilliantly executed acrobatic strike from Bojan Miovski, they surrendered their advantage before half-time and ultimately fell 2–1 to Ferencváros — leaving Ally McCoist exasperated by what he described as the team’s ongoing “inability to defend.”
Under new manager Danny Röhl, Rangers have shown renewed energy in the Scottish Premiership and haven’t been beaten domestically since mid-September. But Europe has been a different story entirely. They remain winless in the Europa League, sitting 34th out of 36 teams, with only a single point to show from their campaign.
On Thursday night, the warning signs appeared almost immediately. Ferencváros winger **Yusuf Bamidele** sliced through the Rangers defence inside two minutes and narrowly missed, prompting McCoist to call out centre-back **Emmanuel Fernandez** for failing to react and cover the danger.
McCoist was left shaking his head:
*“It’s far too easy. Fernandez has to come across. He has to challenge. It’s a huge opportunity — and that’s Rangers for you.”
The pressure mounted when Bence Otvos equalised in first-half stoppage time, undoing Miovski’s opener. Things went from bad to worse after the interval when prolific striker **Barnabás Varga** buried a cross from the left to put the Hungarian side ahead. Again, McCoist singled out Fernandez — not only for losing track of Varga, but also for poor positioning as the ball came into the box.
“You’ve got to stop the cross,” McCoist said, visibly frustrated.
“Watch Fernandez… he’s facing the wrong way. I don’t know what to say. It’s unbelievable. That’s Rangers for you — just an inability to defend.”*
The defeat compounds Rangers’ European struggles, with only two league-phase matches remaining — against Ludogorets at home and Porto away in January 2026. With qualification now almost impossible, Röhl must turn his attention back to domestic form.
Next up is a crucial league meeting with Hibernian, who could leapfrog Rangers in the table with a win. That match is followed by a daunting trip to high-flying Hearts, meaning Rangers’ season could quickly slide into further pressure if defensive issues aren’t addressed.
For now, McCoist’s verdict hangs heavily: Rangers’ problems at the back aren’t just momentary lapses — they’re becoming a defining, recurring flaw.
Alious
