Rangers Tumble Into Conference League Play-off as Chermiti Injury Forces McInnes Back Into the Market
Rangers dropped into the UEFA Conference League play-off round on Thursday night after a European defeat that left them facing Czech side Jablonec for a place in the group stage — Europe's third-tier club competition, one step below the Europa League they had been chasing.
The result piles pressure on a club still finding its feet under Derek McInnes, who was appointed on a three-year contract in June and described the job as "special" and a "privilege" upon his return to Ibrox (Rangers.co.uk). Those early weeks have tested the warm glow of homecoming. Rangers' first three games under McInnes produced zero wins and five goals conceded across nine days, leaving the manager still searching for his first victory at the helm (BBC Sport). He had urged his players to deliver "a big European performance" at Ibrox ahead of the decisive qualifying tie against Jagiellonia Białystok (Rangers.co.uk). They could not find it.
The defeat is not the only blow. Forward Youssef Chermiti, 22, has been ruled out with a long-term knee injury — and the timing is cruel. Rangers had only recently rejected a big-money bid for the young striker, signalling how highly they valued him. Now, instead of fielding offers or building him into the side, McInnes must plan without him for the foreseeable future (BBC Sport).
Chermiti's absence has added urgency to a transfer push that was already underway. McInnes had been targeting two or three signings — primarily wingers and defenders — before the Scottish Premiership season kicks off against Dundee United. Now he needs a striker too (BBC Sport). PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech was expected to be the latest arrival through the door.
There are reasons for optimism around Ibrox despite the rocky start. Lawrence Shankland, handed the captain's armband, is the marquee addition. McInnes and Shankland came close to prising the Scottish title away from Celtic last season when both were at Hearts — the Edinburgh club who pushed Rangers' city rivals to the wire. The hope is that reuniting the pair can have a similar galvanising effect on a Rangers side that has looked short on confidence and goals (BBC Sport).
McInnes has already seen flashes of what his squad can do. A 2-1 friendly win over AS Saint-Étienne at Ibrox last month pleased him for the competitive edge his players showed (Rangers.co.uk). A pre-season result is not a league table. But in a summer of upheaval — new manager, new captain, European setback, and now an unplanned hole in the forward line — those small signs matter.
For Rangers fans, the picture is simple. The Conference League play-off against Jablonec is now the season's first must-win fixture. Lose that, and the European adventure ends before September. Win it, and McInnes has a foundation to build on — Chermiti or no Chermiti.
