Derek McInnes left 'embarrassed' as Rangers crash out of Europe in shock Jablonec shootout defeat
Gers suffer European heartbreak
The Glasgow giants failed to protect their 1-0 first-leg advantage, suffering an identical defeat in the Czech Republic before crashing out 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout. The humiliating exit means the Gers have failed to reach the group stage of a European competition beyond August for the first time since 2017. This latest setback compounded a miserable continental campaign for McInnes' side, who had already been dumped out of the Europa League qualifiers by Polish outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok.
Boss shoulders full blame
McInnes made no attempt to disguise his frustration, openly admitting that his players fell well short of the standards expected at Ibrox. Reflecting on the painful elimination after the match, McInnes said: "So embarrassed with it. We should be winning this tie, there's no two ways about it. I'm embarrassed at the fact that we should be performing a lot better. It's not easy for me to say that, because I'm here to help my players. I want my players to be so much better than they were tonight."
Scottish giants endure slump
Rangers' exit came just 48 hours after bitter rivals Celtic surrendered a 4-0 aggregate lead against LASK to suffer their own agonising Champions League qualifying elimination.
Addressing his managerial culpability and his side's fragile mindset under pressure, McInnes added: "The best players can miss penalty kicks but we had enough time to get through the tie. The responsibility is shared tonight, but I'm responsible for bringing a better performance than what we showed tonight. And for that I'm embarrassed. I so disappointed that we've been emptied out of Europe.
"It's all about trying to work towards better performances and trying to win games of football. But we were way off, we have to be totally honest with that."
Domestic focus becomes priority
Rangers must now regroup rapidly and channel all their energy into domestic matters to appease a furious fanbase. With the international break fast approaching, McInnes faces an urgent task to reset his squad's mentality and ensure they do not lose ground in the Scottish Premiership title race. Securing an emphatic league victory in their next outing is non-negotiable if they are to begin restoring faith among the Ibrox faithful following this European catastrophe.
