They thought it was all over... It is now. The Europa League dream was faint before a ball was kicked in Budapest. It is dead and Rangers are out.
Defeat to Ferencvaros leaves Danny Rohl's side firmly at the wrong end of the standings. A competition that used to give the club and the support so much has brought nothing but agony and ignominy of late.
Bojan Miovski netted his third goal in a couple of days as he followed up his brace at Rugby Park with the opener on his return to Budapest. It was a lead that Rangers barely deserved, and one they were unable to retain.
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Robbie Keane's side had squandered the best of the chances over the first 45 minutes. In the final seconds of the additional five, Bence Ötvös brought them level.
Barnabas Varga completed the comeback with a clinical header to continue his remarkable scoring streak this term. It was no more than Ferencvaros deserved.
Rangers exit Europa League
It wasn’t even that much fun while it lasted. The bid to qualify for the next phase of the Europa League went down to the final minutes first time around. At the second attempt, Rangers have fallen after just six fixtures.
Rohl’s side made the trip to Bucharest knowing that only a win would do. This defeat leaves them with a single point and out of the competition as pride and prize money have also been squandered. A double-digit tally is required and Rangers now have nothing to play for against Ludogorets and Porto in the coming weeks.
The qualification bid - on the back of the humiliating exit from the Champions League - went from bad to worse, even after Russell Martin's sacking. Defeat at home to Genk was followed by a loss to Sturm Graz. When Rohl saw his debut end in a 3-0 loss in Bergen, the writing was on the wall.
An unwanted piece of history was on the line here. Not since October 1986 had Rangers recorded a fifth European away defeat in succession. Rohl knew the consequences if his side matched that record that had been set over the course of the three previous years. Rangers got what they deserved here.
The German has little time to reflect on the failings as attentions turn to Hibernian and the Premiership title race. If Rangers are to be contenders, they must emerge from this upcoming defining run with points, plaudits and positives. That will be easier said than done with this squad and January - getting ever closer - still feels like such a long time away.
Miovski moment of magic
It was tight, but it was right. One acrobatic effort from Danilo was blocked, before Miovski pulled off a twist and turn of his own to give Rangers the lead 28 minutes in. Max Aarons put the ball into the area from the right channel and Danilo did well to react and divert it towards goal. A deflection saw it break towards Miovski and the striker contorted himself into position to produce a clinical finish.
A VAR check confirmed the North Macedonian was onside and Rangers had an advantage that they had rarely looked like claiming in a difficult opening period. One shot, one goal.
Bojan Miovski with the acrobatics to give Rangers the lead away from home 🤩
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/CPkZmrC8IF— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 11, 2025
David Grof clattered Danilo in the air as he looked to head home from close range before taking out Nasser Djiga just minutes later. Those moments came in the brief ones where Rangers threatened to add to their lead. Overall, though, there was little for the travelling support to cheer, with Rohl’s side generally outplayed and outfought across the park.
The second period was much the same. Simply, this is a side that just doesn't carry enough of a threat. Grof did well to get down and turn a Findlay Curtis effort wide of the target but it was too little, too late.
Hosts were Hungary for goals
The warning sign came inside two minutes. Varga – the scorer of 24 goals in 26 outings for club and country this term – flicked the ball on and Bamidele Yusuf was clear. Fortunately for the visitors, the shot was pulled wide of the far post. Another effort was blocked, before the forward forged a path down the right and won a corner that Ferencvaros were unable to capitalise on.
Butland couldn’t gather a high ball with a cluster of bodies ahead of him and Toon Raemaekers fired wide. Yusuf remained a constant threat and Rangers were let off again when he made the wrong decision and fired into the near post netting rather than going across the target.
The ambition would have been to get to the break with the advantage held. In the final seconds of the half, Keane’s side levelled. Ibrahim Cissé ghosted away from Djeidi Gassama and picked out Otvos. Via a deflection, he found the net to make it 1-1. It was well worked from the hosts, but Nico Raskin was also culpable as he was pulled out of position and Otvos punished him.
Varga should have done likewise. As James Tavernier was posted missing, Nasser Djiga came to the rescue with a terrific block. His next intervention saw him deny Yusuf, those moments coming alongside basic errors.
The mistakes for the winner were comical but no laughing matter. Tavernier couldn’t stop the cross at source and Manny Fernandez ended up facing the wrong way as Varga headed home from six yards. You get punished for such howlers at levels far, far below this one.
Rohl mixes and matches once again
A look at the team sheet suggested a switch to a back three. On paper, Tavernier would line up alongside Djiga and Fernandez and Aarons and Jayden Meghoma would sit on either flank. Rangers lined up in a four during the warm-up drills and the approach showed Rohl’s tactical flexibility and fluidity.
#Rangers warming up in a back four, with Max Aarons as part of midfield/forwards. pic.twitter.com/PDLf8HAWGn
— Joshua Barrie (@JoshuaBarrieRR) December 11, 2025
Aarons featured higher on the right when Rangers had the ball than Meghoma did on the left. The width there came from Gassama, while Danilo naturally kept tight to Miovski. It was a forward line that had space to exploit, but the decision making was not quick enough, the passing not incisive enough.
At the other end, Rangers looked susceptible, with each member of the defensive line caught out in various moments. Dujon Sterling’s introduction saw Tavernier move wider. The issues were more individual errors than issues with the setup of the side.
Gassama made way for Mikey Moore. If the forward had more game time in the tank, he would surely have started here. Another low-key outing for Danilo reaffirmed the need for a creative presence to be recruited during the transfer window.
The loss of Miovski through injury was a cruel blow for Rohl. Youssef Chermiti replaced him, while Curtis took over from Danilo. Thelo Aasgaard’s introduction for Tavernier saw Rohl switch it again as Rangers chased the game in the closing stages.
Sterling back just in time for Rohl
The return to the pitch has been a long, long time coming for Sterling. His last appearance for Rangers was the goalless draw against Athletic Club in this competition back in April. Eight months later, he got just over half an hour under his belt as he gave Rohl a welcome and much-needed selection boost.
Recent weeks have seen a handful of players fall out of Rohl’s squad. On Wednesday, he confirmed that Nedim Bajrami had become the latest to succumb and Derek Cornelius, John Souttar, Joe Rothwell and Oliver Antman are also absent at present. The visit of Hibernian on Monday will be Djiga’s last outing before he departs for the AFCON after Rangers were unable to convince Burkina Faso to allow him to extend his stay for the trip to Tynecastle.
The return of Sterling is timely, therefore. He provides cover for Meghoma at left-back, an option behind Tavernier on the right and can slot into a back three, as he did here. If Rohl needs more energy and dig in the middle of the park, then Sterling is his man for that job too.
The 26-year-old has shown his mental strength by continually fighting his way back from the succession of injuries that have blighted his Ibrox career. That character will be crucial now as Rohl calls on the big personalities in his squad to lead the way. To use the old cliché, he could be like a new signing for Rohl.
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