“No chance of qualifying” - Rangers icon gives ‘brutally honest’ Champions League opinion after Liverpool loss

Rangers have ‘no chance’ of qualifying for the Last 16 of the Champions League this season after last night’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, according to former manager and club legend Ally McCoist.

The Ibrox side sit bottom of Group A and have lost all three of their matches so far against Napoli, Ajax and the Reds who looked comfortable for the majority of last night’s match.

Trent Alexander-Arnold opened the scoring with a superb free kick after just seven minutes and Mo Salah converted from the penalty spot in the second half to put the game beyond the visitors.

That moved Jurgen Klopp’s side to six points in the group which sees them occupy second spot while Napoli are top with nine and Ajax third with three.

Liverpool visit Ibrox next Wednesday and defeat for the hosts will make it mathematically impossible for them to finish in the top two.

Although McCoist, who was on punditry duty at the match with BT Sport last night, thinks that goal is now beyond them he believes a third place finish and qualification for the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League remains achievable.

Speaking on TalkSPORT’s breakfast show, the 60-year old said: “I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t think we’ve got any chance of qualification from the group.

“I’m more ‘half full’ than any guy you’ll meet but I’m realistic but, if you are harbouring any hopes of finishing third and qualifying for the Europa League you have to take something from Liverpool at home.

“Going to Napoli is going to be a big ask and because of the result and poor performance in Amsterdam they’re obviously going to have to beat Ajax at home which will be extremely difficult but is a possibility.

“You’re going to have to pick a point up from somewhere else and I think, crazy as it may seem, the best chance of doing that is Liverpool at home.

“Do you go and have a go? I know the manager will be thinking about the effect on his team if Liverpool score six or seven, which they are capable of, but you have to balance that with needing a point to have a chance of third place and qualifying for the Europa League.”