Stiliyan Petrov says Rangers must now copy a big decision Celtic made 25 years ago

With Manchester United, Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Eintracht Frankfurt and co also securing a by-pass into the last-16, few would give Rangers a chance of ending the campaign with a continental trophy under their arms.

So, as the pressure mounts on Philippe Clement at Ibrox, any conclusion will be drawn with a fresh start in 2025/26 in mind.

Get it wrong, however, and Rangers could find themselves choking on Celtic’s dust again not only next season but the season after that and the season after that too.

Rangers told they must sack Philippe Clement in order to challenge Celtic
This is the view of Stiliyan Petrov. The Parkhead icon who feels that – if Rangers stick with Clement or bring if they fail to locate a considerable upgrade – the Premiership will once again descend a one-horse race from now and into the considerable future.

Plenty of pressure, then, on the shoulders of Patrick Stewart and co.

“Rangers, what they have to do, they have to go and change the manager,” Petrov argues. “Get a new voice, get somebody who can come and sort it, and you have to challenge the opposition.

Former Bulgaria international Petrov won four Scottish Premiership titles in seven years in green and white. Though it is easy to forget, given that he remains a posterboy of the glorious Martin O’Neill era, that Petrov was actually brought to Britain by John Barnes.

One of the few successes of the Liverpool legend’s dismal spell in the Celtic dugout.