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FT: Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets - Diomande slashes low shot into the net
FT: Bologna 2-2 Celtic - Hatate & Trusty score for Celtic in precious win with Hatate also being sent off
Celtic have progression fate in own hands as Rangers hopes end
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Findlay Curtis is still a Rangers player? I thought he was going to Kilmarnock?
Anyway, he's on for Youssef Chermiti.
Moments ago, Djeidi Gassama showed great strength to win the ball before having a near-post shot saved.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Mohamed Diomande should be fuming with Bojan Miovski.
He's just denied his team-mate one of the greatest assists of all time!
A stunning turn from Diomande nutmegs his marker in the box then he feeds Miovski, who takes a touch and tries to backheel to... someone.
Just shoot!
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
From the resulting set-play, Thelo Aasgaard fires in a wicked delivery but Youssef Chermiti can't make contact.
Image source, SNSRangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Sarcastic cheers from the Rangers fans as Djeidi Gassama is now awarded a foul wide on the left.
Uses his body well there, the winger.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Djeidi Gassama, and the home crowd, are certain the Rangers winger has been denied a clear foul in a dangerous spot after a neat stepover.
The referee says no but doesn't show him a card for diving. The replay shows the forward might have a point.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
And the Rangers forward's night is now over, coming off for Bojan Miovski.
Image source, SNSRangers 1-0 Ludogorets
A frustrated Mikey Moore goes into the book for a clear tug.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Ibrox
This is turning into a really good game at Ibrox, with play constantly swaying from end to end.
I will be stunned if this ends with just the one goal!
Image source, SNSRangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Ally McCoist
Former Rangers striker on TNT Sports
What are you doing? Get your foot through it.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Mikey Moore opts to try a chip over the keeper at a tight angle when the keeper is only yards away from him.
He's got to leather that, the Rangers youngster.
The hosts then survive a dangerous counter.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Oh, he's fine.
The Rangers striker has just burst down the left, cut in, and forced Hendrik Bonmann into a sharp stop.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Youssef Chermiti doesn't look too comfortable, hobbling around on the left.
He's been impressive tonight, this would be a blow if he can't continue.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Rangers were controlled for most of the first half and they're dominant with the ball again at the start of the second period.
Look really comfortable right now.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Mikey Moore finds Nico Raskin out on the left.
The Rangers midfielder opts to shoot from 20-odd yards but bobbles a strike wide of the far post.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Away we go again.
HT: Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
James McFadden
Former Scotland forward on BBC Sportsound
It's not been loads of incidents and really exciting, but it's good control from Rangers.
They've looked dangerous, confident. Going into the game, they'd have been aware of what they had to do.
But given how poor they've been in Europe this season, it can only be a good thing. They've given themselves a slim bit of hope.
FT: Bologna 2-2 Celtic
Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill: "The sending off had a major effect on the game. I thought we played brilliantly, got the goal and looked a really decent outfit - played some really great stuff.
"I've seen the sending off back. Reo [Hatate] has caught the lad's foot and maybe he should be a bit more careful having been booked. Even so, I thought it was pretty harsh and it put us on the back foot.
"We spend all the second half defending. I thought the spirit they showed, the willingness to get blocks in and defend the penalty box was really splendid.
"For us, it's a different battle because of earlier results, but we've given ourselves a chance to get through and from that viewpoint, I'm delighted. My own view is that if we had stayed with 11 men, we would have won the game.
"I think you have to be a bit careful. The ball was going out of play and I felt the referee couldn't wait to get the yellow card out.
"Given the circumstances, absolutely [a point gained]. We're playing a good team trying to get into the top eight - naturally they're going to put pressure on us. We showed a great resilience.
"We have to win next Thursday, but even so, we've got a lot to think about before then."
Image source, SNSFT: Bologna 2-2 Celtic
I'm sure the Rangers fans in here can't wait to read Martin O'Neill's post-match comments from Bologna...
Anyway, if we have any Celts remaining, your manager's reaction is incoming after your 10-man team earned a point in Italy.
HT: Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Ibrox
On the balance of play there is no doubt Rangers are deserving of their one-goal advantage, but the visitors have certainly shown enough to ensure this is far from over.
Mikey Moore in particular has been causing Ludogorets plenty of problems down the right-hand side and only some strong defending and slack play with the final ball have denied Rangers any further joy.
Petar Stanic has been the standout performer for the Bulgarian outfit and Danny Rohl will have to ensure the midfielder is allowed little room to display his talents in the second period.
Rangers 1-0 Ludogorets
Mohamed Diomande's strike splits the sides at Ibrox in a pretty uneventful affair.
Image source, SNS| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 18 |
| |
| 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 18 |
| |
3 Freiburg | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
|
4 Midtjylland | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
|
5 Sporting Braga | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 16 |
|
| 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 15 |
| |
7 Ferencváros | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 15 |
|
| 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 14 |
| |
9 Porto | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 14 |
|
10 Genk | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 13 |
|
11 Red Star Belgrade | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
|
12 PAOK | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 12 |
|
13 Stuttgart | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 12 |
|
14 Celta Vigo | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 12 |
|
15 Bologna | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 12 |
|
| 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| |
17 Viktoria Plzeň | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
|
18 Fenerbahçe | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 11 |
|
19 Panathinaikos | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 11 |
|
20 Dinamo Zagreb | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 14 | -2 | 10 |
|
| 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 9 |
| |
22 Brann | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 9 |
|
23 Young Boys | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 9 |
|
| 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 8 |
| |
25 Ludogorets Razgrad | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 15 | -4 | 7 |
|
26 Feyenoord | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 6 |
|
27 Basel | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 6 |
|
28 Red Bull Salzburg | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 6 |
|
29 FCSB | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 6 |
|
30 Go Ahead Eagles | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 14 | -8 | 6 |
|
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 4 |
| |
32 Sturm Graz | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | -7 | 4 |
|
| 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 14 | -7 | 3 |
| |
34 Utrecht | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 1 |
|
35 Malmö FF | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 1 |
|
36 Maccabi Tel Aviv | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 19 | -17 | 1 |
|
Manager: Danny Röhl
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Per-Mathias Høgmo
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Danny Röhl
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Per-Mathias Høgmo
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
UEFA Europa League
All competitions
Rangers last faced a Bulgarian side in major European competition in the 1966-67 Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final, beating Slavia Sofia 1-0 in both legs to reach the final.
This is Ludogorets’ first European encounter with a Scottish side – their six games against British sides in major competition have all been against English opposition (D1 L5), conceding at least twice in all six.
Rangers are winless in their last nine UEFA Europa League matches (D2 L7) since a 3-1 win over Fenerbahçe last March. In major European competition, the Gers last went 10 without a win between April 2008 and September 2010.
Games involving Ludogorets have seen the most goals scored in this season’s UEFA Europa League (25 – 11 scored, 14 conceded), including 11 in the last two games alone.
Ludogorets’ Petar Stanic is the leading scorer in this season’s UEFA Europa League with six goals – the last Serbian player to score more in a major European campaign was Luka Jovic in 2018-19 (10). Stanic has also created the joint most chances in the competition in 2025-26 (17).
