Rangers chiefs have reportedly been left devastated by a significant update on the Scottish Premiership's status in the UEFA Champions League, in what is described as a "huge blow".

Rangers' Premiership title hopes hanging by thread

Philippe Clement's side were in such a strong position in the title race a few weeks back, but a couple of disappointing results have seen them lose momentum at an alarming rate. Granted, the 3-3 draw at home to Celtic was no disaster, especially as they equalised in stoppage time, but Sunday's 3-2 loss at Ross County was a shocker, as they fell apart during a woeful second half performance.

It means that destiny is now out of Rangers' hands in the title battle, with the Hoops four points clear of their rivals having played one game more. It promises to be a nervy run-in for both teams, and Clement will know that a response is essential against Dundee on Wednesday evening.

On top of the Gers' disappointing form, they have also been hit with the news that Scottish clubs have now lost an automatic Champions League spot starting from the 2025/26 season, with the champions going straight into the competition in the past.

A report from stated that the "Czech Republic overtook Scotland to take 10th spot in UEFA's coefficient rankings", acting as an undeniable setback for both themselves and Celtic.

"Huge" setback changes transfer plans

According to a new update from , Rangers chiefs believe losing an automatic Champions League spot is a "huge blow", with the report saying they are devastated by the news. Most importantly for the short-term, it goes on to add that "it is believed the development will affect the Gers’ transfer plans in future windows", which is a big reason for the concern from those high up at Ibrox.

There is no hiding the fact that Scotland slipping down the coefficient rankings acts as a major setback for the Scottish game as a whole, even though it clearly affects Rangers and Celtic more than anyone, given their dominance at the top of the table throughout history.

The Champions League is club football's most prestigious competition, acting as a huge pull for potential new signings and sponsors, so to suddenly have the risk of not reaching the group stages even if you win the title is far from ideal, in terms of enticing top-quality individuals and external money to Ibrox.

The importance of winning the title is also further highlighted for the Gers, with missing out on glory not only a huge blow to their trophy count, but also meaning they wouldn't even be in the qualifying rounds for the Champions League.

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