Rangers Football Club has expressed that they share the concern, anger and frustration of their supporters following reports of poor treatment at Porto's Estadio do Dragao during Thursday night's Europa League match. The Ibrox side suffered a 3-1 defeat in the continental competition, but off-field issues have now taken centre stage as the club launches an investigation into the incident.
Fan Detention Sparks Outrage
According to multiple reports emerging from Portugal, visiting Rangers supporters were held inside the stadium for up to two hours after the final whistle blew on their team's disappointing 3-1 loss. This extended detention has prompted significant backlash from the travelling fanbase, with many expressing their displeasure at the treatment they received from local authorities and stadium security.
A formal statement released by Rangers read: 'Following the match in Porto, we've received multiple reports from supporters and staff about issues in and around the stadium. That's not what anyone who travelled to support Rangers should have had to deal with, and we share the concern, anger and frustration felt by those affected.'
Club Vows to Pursue Matter
The Scottish Premiership club has committed to gathering detailed complaints and feedback from those who experienced difficulties during their trip to Portugal. Rangers officials have confirmed they will be pursuing the matter with relevant parties, which likely includes UEFA, Porto FC, and local authorities in Portugal.
'We will be gathering complaints and feedback and will pursue this with the relevant parties,' the club's statement concluded, indicating a formal process is now underway to address what many supporters have described as unacceptable treatment during their European away day.
Fernandez Urges Focus on Domestic Campaign
Meanwhile, Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez has emphasised that the team cannot allow their Europa League disappointment to derail their domestic ambitions. The 24-year-old centre-back, who joined from Peterborough United last July, acknowledged the difficult night in Portugal but stressed the importance of maintaining perspective.
'We came up against good opponents but I still feel we're a very good side and I still think there's a lot more to come from us,' Fernandez stated. 'We move on from this and focus on the league and we have got two competitions, we can still do well.'
Looking Ahead to Crucial Fixtures
The defeat to Porto marked Rangers' first loss in nine games across all competitions, leaving Danny Rohl's already-eliminated Europa League side with just four points from their 24 available in the group stage. Fernandez himself endured a particularly challenging evening, scoring an unfortunate own goal during the match.
Attention now turns to domestic matters, with Rangers travelling to face Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership this weekend. The Ibrox club currently sits four points behind league leaders Hearts and will be looking to close that gap in the coming weeks. Additionally, a Scottish Cup tie against Queen's Park looms on the horizon, providing another opportunity for silverware this season.
Fernandez remains optimistic about what the squad can achieve in the remaining months of the campaign: 'There are 15 (league) games left and we still have more players coming (to) show what they can do. I feel like there's a lot of quality in this squad, and there's a lot we can do for the rest of the season.'
The dual challenges of addressing supporter welfare concerns while maintaining competitive focus on the pitch now present Rangers with a complex situation as they navigate the remainder of their footballing calendar.
