Managerless Rangers’ season went from bad to worse with a 2-1 Europa League defeat by Aris Limassol in Cyprus.
Former Gers midfielder Steven Davis was asked to take over as boss on an interim basis after Michael Beale was dismissed at the weekend following the dismal 3-1 defeat by Aberdeen at Ibrox which left them seven points behind cinch Premiership leaders Celtic.
However, whatever plan Davis put in place for Europe did not work in a dreadful first-half performance which saw defender Alex Moucketou-Moussounda head the home side in front after just nine minutes.
Striker Shavy Babicka added a simple second goal in the 59th minute before Light Blues attacker Abdallah Sima pulled a goal back for the Ibrox men 10 minutes later but despite heavy pressure in the final stages the visitors could not complete the comeback.
Rangers beat Real Betis in their Group C opener but once again the players came up short.
The Light Blues travel to St Mirren on Sunday before the international break but this was a real setback in Europe with a double-header against Sparta Prague looming.
There had been some encouraging team news for the visitors in the build-up to the game with striker Kemar Roofe and midfielder Nico Raskin declared fit.
However, only the latter, who had missed four games with a knock, started with left-back Borna Barisic and attacker Scott Wright, sent off against Aberdeen, also coming into the first Gers team picked by Davis.
The Cypriot side, who claimed their first league title last season, were playing their first home game in the Europa League in an 11,000-capacity stadium which looked less than half-full with a pitch far from perfect.
Rangers, playing in a new mainly-red kit, looked disjointed and ill at ease from the start and there was no real surprise when they fell behind.
Jack Butland blocked a shot from Mihlali Mayambela for a corner which was taken short and when Leo Bengtsson crossed into the box from the right, Moucketou-Moussounda got away from Ibrox defender Connor Goldson to flick a header past the Gers keeper.
Moments later, after Barisic sloppily conceded possession, a quick Aris counter ended with Bengtsson clearing the Rangers bar from close range when he at least should have hit the target.
The rattled visitors battled back and Aris’s Brazilian keeper Vana comfortably saved an angled-drive from Sam Lammers and then Gers striker Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the net only to be ruled offside by the linesman, confirmed by a lengthy VAR check.
Vana saved a Sima header from a Barisic corner then the keeper collided with Dessers inside the box and required some treatment before continuing.
The home side claimed for a penalty just on the stroke of half-time when the ball appeared to hit Sima’s hand inside the box but a VAR check ruled in favour of the lacklustre Light Blues.
Mayembela started the second half by driving over from the edge of the box with the Gers defence again looking fragile.
When Sima’s shot was parried into the air by Vana in the 54th minute Dessers could not finish it off although he was offside.
The Cypriot side always looked dangerous on the break and Rangers fell further behind when Bengtsson left midfielder John Lundstram in his slip-stream down the left and crossed for Babicka to escape the attention of Ibrox defender Ben Davies and beat Butland with a confident finish.
In the 67th minute Davis brought on Roofe and Jose Cifuentes for Lammers and Raskin and there was a quick return when Sima headed in a Lundstram cross, which brought another VAR check but this time the goal stood.
Rangers had hope.
Moments later, however, a mistake by Davies inside his own box almost proved costly but Butland saved the drive from Aris substitute Aleksandr Kokorin at the expense of a corner which came to nothing.
Rangers pushed hard in the final stages for the equaliser but it was mostly in desperation and not even six minutes of added time could help salvage a point.
Leipzig have 'everything you would want' – Celtic boss Rodgers
Celtic may be four points clear of RB Leipzig in the Champions League, but Brendan Rodgers is not underestimating the challenge that his side face on Tuesday.
The Hoops welcome Leipzig to Celtic Park on matchday four, for what will be the fifth meeting between the sides.
Leipzig have won three of the previous four encounters, with Celtic winning 2-1 in a Europa League match in November 2018.
While Leipzig, who are second in the Bundesliga, have lost all of their Champions League matches this term, Celtic bounced back from their heavy defeat to Borussia Dortmund by holding Atalanta to a 0-0 draw in their last European outing.
Rodgers' team come into Tuesday's clash on the back of a resounding 6-0 defeat of Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, but Rodgers knows his side are in for a stern test.
"Leipzig are no different to Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta," said Rodgers. "A top team. They have everything you would want - speed, power, technique.
"It's a brilliant challenge for us."
After conceding seven goals against Dortmund on MD2, Rodgers explained Celtic knew they had to step up.
"You always have to learn and be better and we were against Atalanta, a really outstanding team," said Rodgers, who were perhaps fortunate not to concede against the Serie A side, given they conceded 2.4 expected goals (xG).
"We'll look to bring our energy to the game but we also know we'll have to defend for good periods of the game, play with concentration and commitment like we did against Atalanta," he said.
"There will be moments when we press with aggression and moments where we have to be controlled. Top teams will push you back and you have to have resilience."
After a run of 12 home games without a win at Celtic Park in the Champions League between 2013 and 2023 (D3 L9), Celtic have won their last two home games. They last had three wins in a row back in November 2007 under manager Gordon Strachan.
"Home games are very important at this level and when you want the result the supporters can bring you closer to that," said Rodgers.
"What the noise generates here is absolutely incredible.
"We will also need that bit of patience as well because we have to be educated in our pressure.
"We've got ourselves into a really good position after three games and now we have another opportunity to show we can pick up a result against a top team."
Neymar does not believe latest injury is serious
Neymar does not feel his latest injury is anything to be overly worried about.
The Brazilian star had to be substituted off late on in Al-Hilal's 3-0 win over Esteghlal in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday.
Aleksandar Mitrovic's hat-trick propelled Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal to a comfortable win, though it was soured when Neymar clutched his right thigh and left the field just 29 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.
It was only the 32-year-old's second appearance since he returned from a year-long lay-off due to a serious knee injury.
However, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona attacker allayed fears over a serious injury.
"It felt like a cramp, only very strong!" Neymar posted on Instagram. "I'm going to have some tests and I hope it's nothing too serious.
"It's normal for this to happen after a year, the doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes."
Neymar has played only seven games for Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal since joining from PSG in a blockbuster transfer last year.
Fonseca targets statement Milan win over Real Madrid
Milan have no need to fear Real Madrid and their coach Paulo Fonseca is targeting a statement win in the Champions League.
Despite having won more Champions League/European Cup titles (seven) than any other club apart from Madrid (15), it has been 17 years since Milan last lifted the trophy in 2007.
On the other hand, holders Madrid have won the Champions League six times since 2013-14.
But Fonseca sees no reason to fear Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Carlo Ancelotti's side were recently hammered 4-0 by Barcelona.
"We're playing against a team that aspires to win the Champions League every year and for us it's a great opportunity to grow," Fonseca said.
"We'll play without fear of anything, with courage, because we believe we can play a great game and do great things.
"I always transmit to my team the desire to win and tomorrow will be no different. Real Madrid are a great team, but we will go out there thinking about winning. After that, anything can happen, but that's the mentality.
"To win a match like this, we have to defend well, have possession of the ball and create dangerous situations. A match against Real Madrid is a chance to show the world our quality and the way we are growing."
Madrid are 12th in the 36-team Champions League table with six points, while Milan are languishing in 25th spot – just outside the play-off places – with three points after three games.
Fonseca explained Milan had carefully studied Barcelona's 4-0 win over Madrid in last month's Clasico.
"I saw the derby, it's impossible not to watch it. They are teams I like to watch and I paid close attention to the game," Fonseca said.
"We are different from Barcelona but it was important to see Real Madrid's intentions against them because Barca have a similar way of defending with us. We made the whole team watch the game.
"It is the match between the two clubs that have won the Champions League the most. There are many games in the continent that are big, but this one is obviously something special, a match between two clubs that are attractive.
"We hope to put on a good show for people who enjoy good football."
Milan are winless in their last three Champions League games against Madrid (D2 L1) since they won 3-2 in October 2009 with goals from Andrea Pirlo and Alexandre Pato.
Madrid have won five of their seven home matches against Milan in the competition (D1 L1), beating them 2-0 in the most recent such match in October 2010.
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