Rangers Fall 2-1 to Sturm Graz, Struggle Mounts in Europa League, Domestic Defense Crisis Deepens

Rangers have suffered consecutive defeats in their Europa League campaign, losing 2-1 to Sturm Graz, which leaves them with no points and no prize money from UEFA's payouts. The club is also struggling domestically, sitting eighth in the Scottish Premiership, eight points behind Hearts and six behind Celtic, with defensive errors being a major issue as they have now gone 22 away games without a clean sheet, equalling a club record from the Victorian era. The team's defensive frailties have led to conceding 60 goals in 44 matches this year, their highest average since 1961, and they have lost 37.5% of their games this season, the worst rate since 1985-86. Fans and pundits alike have criticized manager Russell Martin for a lack of progress, poor tactical decisions, and failure to foster promising players, with calls for change growing louder amid the poor results and defensive lapses. Despite some bright moments, such as Djeidi Gassama's goal against Sturm Graz, Rangers have struggled to mount effective comebacks and remain vulnerable defensively. The pressure is mounting on Martin and the club's leadership to reverse the negative trend and improve performances both in Europe and domestically.