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Rangers fans gather at Glasgow's Ibrox ahead of Panathinaikos clash

Rangers fans gather at Glasgow's Ibrox ahead of Panathinaikos clash

Glasgow Times22-07-2025
The Greek side take on Rangers in the second Champions League qualifying round first leg tie this evening before the return fixture next Wednesday.
The match, which kicked off at 7.45pm, will be Russell Martin's first competitive game in charge.
READ NEXT: Panathinaikos supporters party outside Glasgow Irish bar before Rangers clash
(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) Panathinaikos supporters were spotted earlier today partying on the street outside Connolly's Irish Bar on Bell Street in the city centre.
Our photographer headed down to Ibrox to picture Rangers fans ahead of the match.
Can you spot yourself in the pictures below?
(Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)
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Seriously, the criticism of him and his team's performance has been ridiculously over the top writes our man who was in Athens Only one plucky Greek journalist managed to muster a question at Russell Martin's post-match press conference in Athens. ‌ The rest were probably hurting too much. ‌ The guy was gutted, having just watched Panathinaikos get dumped out of Europe by Rangers in their own backyard. ‌ When he addressed Martin on the podium, the pain was etched on his face. He asked the Rangers manager if he felt his side had all the luck in their Champions League qualifying tie. And if he didn't, could he pinpoint a single aspect of the game where the Scottish team were better than Rui Vitoria's beaten side. At one point, you wondered if there might be tears. OK, I'm over-egging it. But the point I'm trying to illustrate is just how devastated the Greeks were by the 3-1 aggregate result. ‌ Yet in the aftermath of Rangers' victory, judging by some of the reaction, Martin and his players should somehow feel guilty about their Champions League progression. Seriously, the criticism of him and his team's performance has been ridiculously over the top. Even Record Sport's own Keith Jackson, was scathing in his assessment. ‌ On the way home from Greece, Rangers fans at the airport seemed deflated, rather than elated. Football's changed eh? Remember the days when it was all about winning? Now, if your team's display is not aesthetically pleasing, for some the result is almost irrelevant. It's madness. ‌ Martin has worked with this group of players for a matter of weeks. A hotchpotch squad of some guys riddled by failure for years, others who want out, some who aren't good enough - and a few prized assets the manager will hope to build upon. He's then added a raft of new signings to the mix, a couple of whom aren't even fully fit yet. ‌ On top of that, he's been 100 percent clear that he's bringing a completely new way of playing that will take time to implement. Remember, for Rangers this isn't just a tweak or tinker job in terms of style. It's a seismic, cultural change not seen at Ibrox in years. ‌ So, after 57 days in the job, what exactly were supporters and pundits expecting from Martin and this team? Free-flowing phases of play and attacking football from the off? Get real. When the draw for the Champions League qualifiers was made, Panathinaikos was the nightmare pairing for Rangers - the toughest possible opponent at this stage. ‌ Most outsiders felt it would be a tall order to go through. Instead, they've scored three outstanding goals over two legs to win 3-1 and secure a guaranteed Europa League group spot again. 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But with Panathinaikos two goals behind, at their own ground, with 40,000 fanatics demanding they go for Rangers' throats - did anyone seriously expect anything else? Martin's team could obviously have been better on the ball but it's still early days. ‌ There WERE glimpses of what he wants from this team and how he expects it to look. But he's still well short of quality in the final third of the pitch. I've read accusations of Rangers being 'wide open'. So what does that make Panathinaikos, who shipped three goals in the tie? ‌ The key thing about Wednesday night - which is a really important sign of what the players think of their new gaffer - is the shift they put in for him in testing conditions. They didn't wilt. Instead, they grafted their a***s off for Martin and his staff. That tells me they've bought into him, which is vital. 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