Steven Gerrard watched his title heroes crash out of the Champions League on a 4-2 aggregate to Swedish minnows Malmo at Ibrox tonight.
An injury time fluke from Steve Davis in last week’s first leg was hailed as the game changer with the Ibrox men expected to progress towards a cheque for £40m from UEFA for their place in the group stage of the Champions League.
Ibrox was full to the rafters with 50,000 bears at the kick-off but by the final whistle strict social distancing was in place with less than 10,000 cheering the champions off at the pitch.
Everything looked to be going Gerrard’s way in the first half as Alfredo Morelos levelled the tie after 20 minutes. When Allan McGregor avoided a red card it looked as if a glory night was on the cards with Malmo reduced to 10 men just before the break when Innocent was sent off.
At half time all was looking happy and glorious but within 10 minutes of the restart Malmo were 2-1 up on the night with a glorious double from Antonio Colak.
Long before the end the Ibrox side looked well beaten, Gerrard was looking lost on the touchline with tactical genius Michael Beale reduced to sending on Ianis Hagi to find the two goals needed to take the match to extra-time.
With £40m slipping through McGregor’s fingers Gerrard can look forward to a Europa League play-off against Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty or Alashkert of Armenia while the club tries to make ends meet after record losses last season.