The reason why Celtic 'would have preferred' Rangers to stay in Europa League explained by Scotland legend

Celtic icon Kenny Dalglish reckons his old club would have preferred Rangers to have beaten Benfica and extend their Europa League journey this season.

Philippe Clement's side were knocked out of the competition at the last-16 stage by the Portuguese champions on Thursday night following a narrow second leg defeat at Ibrox. As a result, Scotland's coefficient ranking was plunged into jeopardy, with the Czech Republic now in pole position to move into the coveted top-10 spot.

Any positive result for Viktoria Plzen against Italian outfit Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals would see the Scots slide down a position - meaning the Scottish champions lose their guaranteed Champions League group stage place for the 2025/26 campaign.

With the Premiership title race expected to go right down to the wire, Hoops and Scotland legend Dalglish has explained why progression for Rangers in Europe would have suited his former side.

Writing in the Sunday Post, Dalglish believes the Light Blues exit is a cause for concern. He admitted: "We are now at a stage of the campaign where there is no room for error. "I was surprised that Philippe Clement’s side lost on Thursday. I fancied them to go through. However, they just came up short. There will be disappointment about that defeat.

"I also think Celtic would have preferred Gers to stay in Europe as it’s a potential drain on their resources in the coming weeks. Rangers know that if they keep winning then they will become league champions. It's a great position to be in."