Rangers Football Club kicked off their 2025/26 Scottish Premiership season with excitement and promise, as new manager Russell Martin led the team to a 2-0 victory against Panathinaikos in the Champions League second qualifying round. The game started on an extremely warm summer night. All of this left fans itching for a strong campaign to make use of the excitement and optimism that lay ahead. The opening game showcased the strengths of several players, including debutant Joe Rothwell, who appears to fit seamlessly into Martin’s plans.
The Rangers’ first league game of the new campaign is against Motherwell on Saturday, August 2, live on Sky Sports. We know that fans have been looking forward to Old Firm No.1 this season! It will be the latter, on Sunday, August 31, when Celtic visit Ibrox. Martin’s first Scottish Premiership home match will be on Saturday, August 9 when Dundee visit.
A Promising Debut for Rothwell
Joe Rothwell was an instant hit at Rangers on his debut against Panathinaikos. Here’s his debut highlights. His product on the floor has inspired confidence that he’s going to be a major first-team contributor during Martin’s tenure. The new manager praised Rothwell, stating that he is “a player who will get supporters on the edge of their seats.” These types of comments hint at the lofty expectations that will be placed on the midfielder as he acclimates to the team.
Rothwell’s composure to dictate the play and pick out scoring chances was on full display from start to finish. His presence energized the team and showcased a tactical approach that could become a hallmark of Martin’s strategy. There’s no doubt that Rothwell has established himself in a big way this season. With ability and impact on both sides of the ball, he’s a player worth watching intently.
Gassama and Curtis Shine in Debut Performances
Eighteen-year-old Findlay Curtis made headlines with his opening goal for Rangers, marking a significant milestone in his early career with the club. His winning goal was scored at a remarkable angle and showed true born talent, skill and poise under pressure. The young forward’s performance offers a glimpse into the promising future of Rangers’ youth development.
Djeidi Gassama, a debutant, doubled Rangers’ lead with a perfectly timed shot, adding to his impressive hold on a spot within the squad. Martin’s willingness to trot out young, energetic players like Curtis and Gassama is an indicator of his plan to balance experience with exciting new talent.
Martin’s squad depth is going to be put to the test during the early season slate. With the emergence of several of these young talents, the club’s ambitions for the season have increased significantly.
Defensive Resolve and Goalkeeping Heroics
The Rangers’ brand of total football turned heads. Even more than their very effective offensive resourcefulness, their incredible defensive resilience was the key to sealing the match win. Including a spectacular goalkeeping performance from Jack Butland that robbed Panathinaikos to maintain that advantage. His performance alone was a huge reason why he was able to avoid what would have been a disaster class type of performance for Rangers.
Watford loanee Butland’s contributions were especially crucial with Rangers’ woeful form in key fixtures all too apparent. With his constant interventions, the story of this game could have been a lot different. He leads the field with authority and plays his best when the stakes are highest. The combination of these two skill sets makes him an invaluable asset to the program.
Facing the rest of the season, Rangers need to go all in on protecting their back line. This will be key to their bid for silverware in both domestic and European competitions.
Looking Ahead
With their Champions League campaign now firmly in place, Rangers will be looking to get back on track in the Scottish Premiership. Their upcoming schedule certainly suggests a dramatic opening, front-loaded with what could be high-stakes contests against their historic rival, Celtic. Fans will be able to watch their team in action on Sky Sports live in cities across August – and in many cases, much further down the schedule.
Our opening home match against Motherwell will be an early measure of how Martin’s ideas transfer to league action. Rangers show a clear ambition to compete at home and abroad. Building momentum off their Champions League triumph will be the key to their success here.
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