Rangers striker Lawrence Shankland has placed responsibility for the club’s removal from the UEFA Europa Conference League squarely on the players, amid growing pressure on manager Derek McInnes. The Scottish side were eliminated after a penalty shootout defeat to Czech club Jablonec on Thursday, having lost their 1-0 advantage from the first leg in the Czech Republic. This marks the first time since 2017 that Rangers will not feature in European competition beyond August.

Under McInnes, Rangers have struggled to find form, securing only two wins in their opening seven matches this season. The recent European exit has intensified scrutiny of the manager’s performance, especially with a Scottish Premiership fixture against Aberdeen—McInnes’ former club—scheduled for Friday.

Despite the mounting criticism, Shankland, who played under McInnes last season at Hearts, defended the manager and attributed the disappointing result to the players themselves. The Scotland international described the outcome as “sickening” and emphasized the squad’s need to accept responsibility. “Over two legs, we were confident that it was a tie we could take care of,” Shankland said. He also acknowledged the impact on supporters, stating that the players owed them an apology following the defeat.

Separately, Scottish football authorities have imposed sanctions on both Celtic and Rangers, ordering their next home Scottish Cup matches to be played behind closed doors. The decision follows violent incidents involving fans during the Scottish Cup quarter-final match at Ibrox in March, where clashes erupted after Celtic’s victory over Rangers.

The measures underscore ongoing concerns about fan behavior in Scottish football, while Rangers now face domestic challenges as they seek to recover from early-season setbacks and rebuild confidence under McInnes.