Rangers out of Champions League... in August

There will be no 'Battle of Britain' in this year's Champions League after Scotland's sole representatives in the competition, Rangers, were knocked out in the qualifying stages.

The Scottish champions could only manage a 1-1 draw with Swedish side Malmo last night, losing the two-legged tie 2-1 overall and failing to make the lucrative group stages of the competition for the first time in three years.

Rangers had earned Scotland's only spot in the Champion's League 2011/12 qualification rounds after pipping Celtic to the SPL title last season. But already their journey is over and they will now drop down into the final round of Europa League qualifying.

Much of the blame for Rangers' failure to overcome Malmo can be put on ill discipline. Needing to overturn a one-goal deficit, Ally McCoist's side were down to ten men within the first 20 minutes when Steven Whittaker reacted to a bad tackle by hurling a ball at the head of his assailant.

Despite that setback, the Scots took the lead with a neat side-foot volley from Nikica Jelavic in the 23rd minute. The bad temper between the teams continued to build, however, with a flurry of late tackles adding to the tension. Something had to give and in the 66th minute Rangers were reduced to nine men when Madjid Bougherra unnecessarily led with an arm as he rose for a header, clattering his opponent in the head and earning a straight red. That rash action could have been the Algerian's last for Rangers as he is being linked with a move to Qatar.

The failure to progress brings with it a financial hit: a place in the Champions League group stages is worth between £15-20m. But more worrying for the Scottish side, with August barely begun, their new manager Ally McCoist is already coming under mounting pressure.

McCoist has won only one of his four opening matches this season, has been accused of an amateur approach to the transfer window and was facing questions last night over his tactics after failing to use prolific Northern Ireland striker David Healy as his team searched for a goal.

The reaction of Rangers fans to the draw was unknown – they were banned from the match for sectarian chanting in a match in Eindhoven last season – but the manager sought to dampen down any hostility by expressing his disappointment at the result. "I've been involved at the club for a good number of years and you have to experience the highs and the lows," McCoist said. "Tonight's a massive massive low." ·