30 years of Champions League rests on Gio’s Rangers’ shoulders

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30 years of Champions League rests on Gio’s Rangers’ shoulders
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JULY 25: Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is seen during a My Gers Open Training Session at Ibrox Stadium on July 25, 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

In 1992, UEFA decided to uproot the European Cup and brought in marketers Team Football Marketing AG to rebrand the whole competition as the Champions League.

It wasn’t just a rebrand, the format and structure of the tournament changed completely as well, and the previous exclusive KO format now became qualification for a group league stage before a final KO tournament.

But the key part was getting to that group stage, and eight teams did.

AC Milan, Marseille, Brugges, PSV, Porto, CSKA, Gothenburg, and one other…

Rangers.

These eight teams are not only regarded as the Founding Fathers of the Champions League, but Rangers have historically ALWAYS been in this competition every single year.

How? Because the logo with its 8 stars in the shape of a football means each of the founding teams are represented, a homage to the competition’s inception and the eight sides who made it to that inaugural group stage.

As you can see, Rangers’ star is the bottom one, and this logo has a recognition level of a staggering 95%, making it one of the most recognisable logos in world sport.

But so what? Logos are one thing but being in the competition for real is another.

And that’s why our 12-year absence is so absolutely appalling. For a side that were there at the very start, a fulcrum of the tournament and one who belonged there, to go a full generation of fans without seeing their side at that level is utterly staggering.

It’s even meant that in the-now near-decade long BT era of broadcasting the Champions League, Rangers have never been on BT Sport’s coverage of the premier competition.

There are so many things not right here, and the club can finally, at long, long last, change this over the next three weeks.

But the need to beat Union is absolutely sky high. So let’s start there.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. I feel the anticipation guys I really do , but we have to take it as it comes . We should beat Union Galliose . We then have some time in league games to ensure that team is knitted together for the final play off challenge and beyond. I hope Gio and his coaches get working on this at every turn. We need Morelos back scoring We need our team to get this whole idea in their heads 100% . Onwards 56 and CL glory as is our right .

  2. I have long grown tired of the ‘it’s our right’ brigade. We’re not entitled to anything. It has to be earned. The consequences of Murray’s last decade in charge at Ibrox should’ve instilled some humility into our mindsets and for many, I don’t think it has.

    We’ve had three good opportunities at qualifying for the 2022/23 UEFA Champions’ League group stages and forfeited two of them. On Tuesday, we’re in the last chance saloon. Failure there and we’re kissing goodbye to £40m.

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