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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
Sport
Ben Banks

Rangers facing Champions League consequence as ex-player claims they 'need the money' from groups

Richard Foster claims Rangers need to reach the group stages of the Champions League partly for financial reasons after their hopes were left hanging by a thread.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side limped out of their third round qualifying first leg against Union Saint-Gilloise down 2-0 on aggregate ahead of the return match at Ibrox. Rangers didn't lay a glove on their opponents in Leuven and former Govan right-back Foster was concerned by a lack of blue control.

Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey have been sold for big fees this summer but he reckons an additional multi-million boost in the form of UCL group stage cash would be huge. He told Sportsound: "The worrying thing for me was there was an acceptance about it. The players weren't getting at each other. They never put in any tackles.- "There was no-one taking charge of the game. Rangers are more than capable of coming back in this tie, but they're going to need to do something.

READ MORE: Three things we learned as Rangers suffer VAR controversy in major Champions League setback

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"It would be fantastic for the support (reaching the group stages) but let's not get away from the fact they need the money. Rangers are a club that financially, it's not like they are on sound ground all the time. They have posted losses year on year.

"The money they have got from Bassey, the Europa League final run, will be good. It's always good earning that but they need the Champions League money.

"That won't be in the players mind as they will want the opportunity to play in the Champions League. But given everything that is on the line, I thought we would have seen a well-drilled performance."

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