We utilize your registration to deliver content in ways you’ve agreed to and to enhance our understanding of you. This may involve advertisements from us and third parties based on our insights about you. For more details, click here.

As if interim Rangers chairman John Gilligan doesn’t have enough on his plate while trying to rebuild a struggling club…

The acting chief at Ibrox is acutely aware that he’s stepping into a club that trails significantly behind its main rivals at Parkhead, both in terms of performance and finances. The sight of Celtic achieving a remarkable and financially rewarding opening Champions League victory serves as a stark reminder of the significant gap that has widened between the two sides.

This week, while Rangers aimed to narrow that financial divide by announcing their largest-ever shirt sponsorship deal, they saw the anticipated increase in the agreement—which could rise from £1.5 million a year to nearly £3 million if targets are met—outpaced by a single night’s earnings for the Hoops.

As Brendan Rodgers’ confident Celtic team secured a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, Gilligan’s counterpart, Peter Lawwell, was busy counting the £1.75 million Celtic had just earned as a bonus for their win.

This amount is just a small part of the total earnings Parkhead officials expect from their European campaign, which could exceed £40 million. With £77 million already in the bank, Celtic is not just in a different league from their rivals; they are in an entirely different realm.

To put it into perspective, the cash Rangers could bring in from a shocking upset in their Europa League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in January would only amount to £530,000. Philippe Clement’s squad would need to secure three wins and a draw to match what Celtic earned in just 90 minutes against a relatively ordinary Bratislava team.