Rangers suffered the humiliation of exiting the Champions League at the second round qualifying stage with a 2-1 aggregate defeat to unheralded FBK Kaunas of Lithuania.
Here we look at some other embarrassing defeats for British clubs at the hands of some of European football's less glamourous sides.
Artmedia Bratislava 5 Celtic 0, July 2005 Gordon Strachan's first competitive game in charge of Celtic ended in disaster after they were thrashed in a Champions League qualifying match in the Slovakian capital. Strachan called it his "worst football night ever" and the 4-0 win in the second leg at Celtic Park was scant consolation as the Hoops crashed out.
Dinamo Bucharest 5 Everton 1, September 2005 After narrowly missing out in the Champions League qualifying, Everton had high hopes of progression in the UEFA Cup, and with the score at 1-1 at half-time they looked in control of the tie. But a second-half blitz saw Dinamo take the initiative in the tie and Everton could only win the second leg 1-0 at Goodison.
St Gallen 2 Chelsea 0, September 2000 Chelsea arrived in Switzerland with a 1-0 advantage but despite fielding a side including Gianfranco Zola and Frank Leboeuf they suffered a surprise exit from the UEFA Cup after goals from Sascha Muller and Charles Amoah.
Aston Villa 2 Varteks 3, September 2001 Juan Pablo Angel scored twice for Villa in their UEFA Cup first-round clash against the side from northern Croatia but Sasa Bjelanovic netted four minutes from time to embarrass John Gregory's side. Varteks lost the second leg 1-0 but progressed to the next round on away goals.
IFK Gothenburg 3 Rangers 0, August 1997 After dominating the first half at the Ullevi Stadium the Scottish champions suffered a second-half capitulation as Stefan Pettersson, Par Karlsson and Peter Eriksson all found the net in the Champions League qualifying round. A 1-1 draw in the second leg at Ibrox saw the Swedish side go through.
Manchester City 1 Groclin Dyskobolia 1, November 2003 Nicolas Anelka gave Kevin Keegan's side a sixth-minute lead in their UEFA Cup second-round tie at Eastlands but the Sky Blues then missed a host of chances. Sebastian Mila curled in a free-kick to level the scores and the Polish side held City to a 0-0 draw in the second leg to progress on away goals.
Artmedia Bratislava 5 Celtic 0, July 2005 Gordon Strachan's first competitive game in charge of Celtic ended in disaster after they were thrashed in a Champions League qualifying match in the Slovakian capital. Strachan called it his "worst football night ever" and the 4-0 win in the second leg at Celtic Park was scant consolation as the Hoops crashed out.
Dinamo Bucharest 5 Everton 1, September 2005 After narrowly missing out in the Champions League qualifying, Everton had high hopes of progression in the UEFA Cup, and with the score at 1-1 at half-time they looked in control of the tie. But a second-half blitz saw Dinamo take the initiative in the tie and Everton could only win the second leg 1-0 at Goodison.
St Gallen 2 Chelsea 0, September 2000 Chelsea arrived in Switzerland with a 1-0 advantage but despite fielding a side including Gianfranco Zola and Frank Leboeuf they suffered a surprise exit from the UEFA Cup after goals from Sascha Muller and Charles Amoah.
Aston Villa 2 Varteks 3, September 2001 Juan Pablo Angel scored twice for Villa in their UEFA Cup first-round clash against the side from northern Croatia but Sasa Bjelanovic netted four minutes from time to embarrass John Gregory's side. Varteks lost the second leg 1-0 but progressed to the next round on away goals.
IFK Gothenburg 3 Rangers 0, August 1997 After dominating the first half at the Ullevi Stadium the Scottish champions suffered a second-half capitulation as Stefan Pettersson, Par Karlsson and Peter Eriksson all found the net in the Champions League qualifying round. A 1-1 draw in the second leg at Ibrox saw the Swedish side go through.
Manchester City 1 Groclin Dyskobolia 1, November 2003 Nicolas Anelka gave Kevin Keegan's side a sixth-minute lead in their UEFA Cup second-round tie at Eastlands but the Sky Blues then missed a host of chances. Sebastian Mila curled in a free-kick to level the scores and the Polish side held City to a 0-0 draw in the second leg to progress on away goals.
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