The morning after the night before will offer little comfort to reeling Rangers supporters.
Their crushing 4-0 defeat to Ajax served up a brutal dose of reality for Gio van Bronckhorst 's side who were outgunned and outworked by the classy Eredivisie champions. Rangers retained a confidence heading into the reunion with former star turn Calvin Bassey, their sustained success on the Continent meant there was hope among the fanbase, despite their dreary 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Celtic on Saturday. But their 12-year wait for a return to the Champions League did not go to plan.
They proved a pale imitation of the side who created memories of a lifetime during a thrilling run to the Europa League final. The scoreline was emphatic in favour of Ajax, of course, but the chain of events which sparked the sorry defeat were even more galling. Rangers were unable to compete and spirits were low long before Van Bronckhorst's grim admission that his team were "hundreds of millions" away from holding court at European football's top table.
Record Sport looks at how the world media viewed Rangers' nightmare and the events which unfolded in their Champions League Group A opener.
beIN Sports (Qatar)
It felt like Rangers were rewriting the record books last season on their march to Seville, however, they created the wrong kind during their ropey showing in the Johan Cruyff Arena on Wednesday night.
They wrote: "Edson Alvarez, Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus were all on target inside 33 minutes, with that Ajax's earliest three-goal lead in the competition's history.
"Rangers, also beaten 4-0 by rivals Celtic at the weekend, made a triple substitution at the break but Ajax showed no remorse and added a late fourth through Steven Bergwijn."
AD (Netherlands)
The Dutch publication themed their verdict on the players who made the difference for Ajax. And it wasn't lost on them that it was a pair of wanted men who really put the strain on Van Bronckhorst's overmatched side.
They explained: "Yesterday's mutineers can be today's guides. Where the Ajax supporters still feared the departure of the sulking Edson Álvarez and Mohammed Kudus on the last day of the English transfer period, they were treated to a genuine party night by those two players a week later at the Champions League kick-off.
"The corner from which Álvarez (released entirely by James Sands) scored was introduced by Kudus. An agile, false striker, the Ghanaian took the static central duo of the Scottish Europa League finalist, who had clearly not recovered from the ear washing by arch-rival Celtic (4-0), from his comfort zone. Or not, because Sands and Connor Goldson remained standing, allowing the wandering Kudus to create surplus situations and solutions for Ajax everywhere."
L'Equipe (France)
The leading French outlet heaped praise on Ajax and noted Rangers couldn't cope with the non-stop efforts of Alfred Schreuder's side.
They posted: "Ajax have started their Champions League season in the best possible way. In front of their supporters, the Amsterdammers easily defeated Glasgow Rangers (4-0). They dominated the match from start to finish thanks to great technical mastery, high intensity put into their runs without the ball in the first half and fair management in the second."
NU (Netherlands)
And it was a similar theme as we return back to the Netherlands, as they served up the Ibrox side with dose of reality after failing to give Ajax any strife. They wrote: "Last season's losing Europa League finalist was unable to offer Ajax a match and was outplayed by the reigning national champion of the Netherlands."
Trivela (Brazil)
And Rangers' woes were noted way beyond Europe, as their night to forget was picked up in Brazil. The media outlet wrote: "Who said it would be easy? Rangers celebrated a lot by qualifying for the Champions League group stage, with good reason, but they had to put their feet on the ground in the first round. Received by Ajax in Amsterdam, the Gers were thrashed 4-0, in a lesson in the size of the challenge for the Scots. It's just the beginning, of course, not the end, but it's a bitter dose of reality for coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men.
"Rangers realise the size of the mission they will have, a very complicated challenge. Ajax were only the first of the heavy opponents the team will have, with Napoli and Liverpool still to come. Rangers will host Napoli at the Ibrox Stadium in their next match next week. Ajax visit Liverpool at Anfield."
Fichajes (Spain)
And it was a similar story in Spain, who added boxing terminology, as they reckoned it was a case of Rangers only missing a towel being thrown in to halt the mauling they suffered.
They wrote: "From the beginning, Ajax in Amsterdam knew how to impose its rhythm and its idea. Rangers were overwhelmed by better pace and those of Alfred Schreuder. That they also found themselves soon with the first goal, the work of Edson Álvarez with a header after a local corner kick in the 17th minute. In the 32nd minute, Sands deflected a cross from Steven Berghuis, author of a great match from the right wing, to make the second an own goal. And a minute later the Ghanaian Mohammed Kudus, with a spectacular left foot after a huge ride, made the third. That left Gio Van Bronckhorst's men knocked out."
VP (Netherlands)
As bad as Rangers were, and no one can make a case otherwise, they were loads to like about an Ajax side whose fluid style left Van Bronckhorst's side frozen in the Dutch capital.
They wrote: "It was quite a surprising move to prefer Mohammed Kudus to Brian Brobbey. Schreuder's choice turned out perfectly. The Ghanaian was one of the driving forces at Ajax in the first half. After the break, his team controlled the match, but it is a wonderful start to the Champions League season for Ajax."
Tipsbladet (Denmark)
The Danish outlet kept it simple as they honed in on the fourth goal which rounded off a disastrous evening for Rangers. They wrote: "The humiliation became a reality 10 minutes before time. Steven Bergwijn intercepted an errant pass before rounding the keeper and rolling the ball into an empty net for the final score of 4-0."
Nettavisen (Norway)
And it was a unanimous verdict in Scandinavia, as Nettavisen weighed in. They posted: "Ajax took their foot off the gas after the break, but Steven Bergwijn scored the 4-0 goal in the 80th minute after a gift from the Rangers defence. Sands played a difficult pass to substitute Ryan Jack, who sent the ball towards his own goal as a running ball to Bergwijn. The winger took the run and suffered a cramp. Instead of celebrating the score, he had to get help from Kenneth Taylor to stretch."
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