Celtic and Rangers are both clubs of repute; their rich history ensures widespread respect and admiration around the continent. The Glasgow giants are at ease amongst the elite, but the European landscape has changed - and they have become also-rans fighting for scraps at the top table.
Perhaps it was unrealistic to expect Celtic or Rangers to return to the Champions League after a lengthy absence and make an immediate impression. Both clubs are financial minnows in a money-driven environment, and their unfamiliarity with underdog status has ensured resounding defeats are proving difficult to comprehend.
Ange Postecoglou forcibly stated last month that Celtic belong in the Champions League, and his side were at least competitive in every contest. Their inability to capitalise on spells of promise contributed to their demise, and a reoccurring tone of regret was constant throughout the manager's post-match interactions.
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"The longer you are in this competition, the more opportunities you have to grow and make an impact,” said the Australian coach “You are not going to go in there for the first time and expect you are going to dominate the most prestigious club competition in the world.”
The Premiership winners are likely to be guaranteed entry into the Champions League group stages next year. It will be the first time a Scottish side is assured back-to-back participation in Europe’s elite competition for six seasons - and, importantly, the beneficiary will have the opportunity to plan for summer activity without overbearing budgetary concerns.
Limited domestic television revenue and sporadic Champions League monies have left the Glasgow giants exposed against European heavyweights - and if Ajax claim three points on Tuesday evening, Rangers will set various unwanted records. The Ibrox club have been dire in the group stages; a lack of resources is no excuse for their abjectness, yet they are undoubtedly still suffering the aftereffects of a decade in the wilderness.
Postecoglou’s comments are measured and considered, and Club Brugge is the example the Old Firm should seek to emulate. The Belgians have qualified for the Champions League in five of the last six seasons, and the accumulated finance has transformed their fortunes. They have just reached the last 16 for the first time in their history, earning more than €40 million in the process.
The Scottish coefficient has steadily improved in recent years, predominantly due to the endeavours of Rangers and Celtic in the Europa League. Progression has stalled in the last few months, though, and while a challenging campaign can be absorbed, further troubling seasons will lead to a rankings tumble. The Champions League is a harsh environment, victories are hard to attain, and there are long-term consequences to unfruitful campaigns.
Having Heart of Midlothian, a third team in European group stage action this season has slightly reduced the damage, but ultimately, for the coefficient to remain high, one or both of Rangers and Celtic are required to compete in the Europa League each season. Third place was the realistic target of both clubs leading into the current Champions League campaign, ensuring Europa League involvement after Christmas, but from 2024 that safety net will no longer exist.
Rangers host Ajax with no realistic hope of securing third place, and Celtic head to the Santiago Bernabéu to challenge Europe’s most decorated club. Both games are dead rubbers, yet with €2.8 million available for three points, neither manager will contemplate wholesale changes. For perspective, that figure is worth over half the amount the Scottish Premiership winners will receive in prize money this season.
It is an unfortunate reality that any Scottish involvement in the Champions League inevitably leads to a discussion regarding finance, but every penny is a prisoner to clubs located outside Europe's top five divisions.
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