Are Celtic and Rangers in a fit state for Europa League?

There is no denying that this is the most prepared I’ve been as a Celtic manager going into the Champions League campaign, according to Brendan Rodgers, one year prior to Celtic’s campaign opener against Slovan Bratislava.

His statement was supported by the subsequent football. The Glasgow side’s devastating quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich followed a comprehensive victory over the Slovakians. With a few ups and downs along the way.

However, as has previously been pointed out, those in green and white have not been greatly influenced by the near-miss in Munich. As Almaty’s disastrous exit from this season would be proof of.

The Ibrox club, who advanced to the quarter-finals of last term’s edition, finds the second-tier competition to be familiar and frequently comfortable.

Both Glasgow’s big two, who kick off their Europa League campaigns this week, have nothing in common with the current campaign.

Before Celtic’s trip to Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday, fans chanted “sack the board,” and Rangers fans protested against head coach Russell Martin, who will continue his quest for a first league win over the weekend after hosting Genk on Thursday.

Rodgers claimed that he was “in the best place I’ve been” at the club when Celtic prepared for their Champions League campaign last year.

Even if things appear to be going well, it would be difficult to say the same a year later.

Top of the table, no defeats, and just one goal conceded are all signs of a crisis, but Rodgers has been forced to bat away recently, a suggestion Rodgers has been making.

Parkhead hasn’t exactly experienced peace as a result of a disappointing transfer window, allegations of a “cowardly” insider briefing against him, and supporters who regularly stage protests against the club’s powerbrokers.

Sebastian Tounekti’s incredible start at the club has helped to lift the spirits a little, but the unrest in the stands is still ferocious despite an impressive, albeit routine, rout.

The Champions League exit at the hands of Kairat Almaty and the way in which it happened heightened concerns despite bubbling away for a while.

They would have been appreciated, but avoiding the humiliating defeat would have required new faces.

One of the most gloomy encounters with Rangers to date saw them lose to the Kazakhs, which gave them a completely forgettable Old Firm derby following their listless start from the notorious journey.

Three weeks later, Rodgers insists his side is developing “a fluency and rhythm,” while Celtic’s former striker Cillian Sheridan claimed that Celtic were “back to their old selves” against Thistle.

After his team faced Rangers in a semi-final, the manager said, “We’re building.”

“It’s difficult to endure nine months of hot weather.” It took a while for players to enter the window because everything was happening.

Rodgers saw rhythm, but Martin saw relief.

Just two weeks after winning the same competition against third-tier Alloa Athletic, the league’s second team won the 2-0 victory over Hibernian.

Former goalkeeper Cammy Bell said that the victory, which started with protests before and during the game, “diminished the noise” around the head coach.

A side who sits second in the Premiership with no wins and three goals scored has fared better with the semi-final set-up of a semi-final with Celtic.

They were exploited at the back and, if not for a handball discovered by VAR, would have been behind in Martin Boyle’s opener despite their win over Hibs, which Martin said “looked much more like the way I hope we are going to be.”

Rangers have never been a fan of entering Europe on a domestic downer.

With concerns over the club’s summer transfer strategy and the fact that Malmo were five points worse off than Celtic last year, Philippe Clement’s side “got off to the perfect start” away from Malmo.

Finding comfort in that same scenario this season is difficult, but Bell thinks a win over a struggling Genk will set the tone for the string of results that are required to win over the disgruntled fans.

On the Scottish Football Podcast, the former Rangers goalkeeper said, “Martin needs to go on a really good run to turn this around.”

He must win games, they say. He needs to do a fantastic run.

He can’t even afford a draw because it will require a period of consistent winning. Unthinkable given that they are eleventh in the table.