Rangers' Russell Martin Insists Champions League Qualifier Against Panathinaikos Is Not Season-Defining

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Russell Martin emphasised that Rangers' upcoming Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos won't determine their entire season. The Scottish side will host the Greek team at Ibrox Stadium on Tuesday, marking Martin's first official match since his appointment in June. The return leg is scheduled for July 30 in Athens. The winner will face either Viktoria Plzen or Servette in the next round.

Rangers are looking to bounce back from last season's disappointing Scottish Premiership finish, where they ended 17 points behind Celtic. In Europe, they reached the Europa League quarter-finals but were eliminated by Athletic Bilbao. Martin has strengthened the squad with eight new signings, including loan deals for Nasser Djiga and Max Aarons from Wolves and Bournemouth.

Martin has also secured permanent deals for Oscar Cortes, Djeidi Gassama, Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Thelo Aasgaard, and Lyall Cameron. He expressed excitement about the team's potential and the work they've put in over the past four weeks. "The players should be really excited about this game now," he stated.

The coach acknowledged that while every game is crucial for Rangers, this particular match isn't season-defining. "A season is a long season," he said. "It will be defined by what we do between now and May." He also mentioned that new signing Aasgaard is doubtful for the match.

If Rangers fail to progress in the Champions League qualifiers, they will enter Europa League qualification against Besiktas or Shakhtar Donetsk. Last season, Rangers participated in the Champions League but lost all group stage matches against Napoli, Liverpool, and Ajax.

Martin is eager to see how his team performs under competitive conditions. "Tomorrow's going to be a real big test for us," he noted. He believes it will reveal much about their current state and areas needing improvement.

The coach remains optimistic about their prospects despite acknowledging challenges ahead. He stressed that each game presents an opportunity to learn and grow as a team. His focus is on building a squad capable of delivering consistent performances throughout the season.