Rangers' Europa League campaign concluded with a 3-1 defeat against Porto at the Estádio do Dragão on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The loss meant Rangers finished their Europa League run in 32nd place.
Despite the defeat, Rangers initially took the lead, silencing the home crowd early in the match. In the 6th minute, Findlay Curtis delivered a cross from the right, which Djeidi Gassama headed into the net past Porto's goalkeeper Diogo Costa. However, Porto responded, turning the game around with three goals before halftime.
Porto's comeback began in the 27th minute when Rodrigo Mora scored following a counterattack. A defensive mix-up between Jack Butland and James Tavernier then allowed Francisco Moura to score in the 38th minute, putting Porto ahead. Just before halftime, in the 41st minute, Emmanuel Fernandez unluckily headed a William Gomes corner into his own net, extending Porto's lead to 3-1.
In the second half, Porto maintained control, with Pepe testing Butland with a shot in the 78th minute. Ultimately, Porto secured the victory, which guaranteed them a place in the Europa League's last 16.
Rangers' manager, Danny Rohl, had made five changes to the starting lineup, bringing in Max Aarons, Mohamed Diomande, Findlay Curtis, Gassama, and Youssef Chermiti. However, new signings Andreas Skov Olsen, Tochi Chukwuani, and Tuur Rommens were ineligible for the match.
The defeat marked Rangers' sixth consecutive away loss in European competitions, including qualifiers. This is their longest losing streak on the road in Europe. They also conceded three goals in the first half for only the second time in the Europa League.
Porto's victory extended their unbeaten run to 12 games. They finished the Europa League group stage in fifth place, ensuring their spot in the next round.
Rangers will now shift their focus back to the Scottish Premiership, where they will face Hibernian. They are hoping to close the gap on league leaders Hearts.
