Warburton: 'Horrible equation' led to Celtic's 7-0 defeat

Rangers manager Mark Warburton has expressed sympathy with Celtic over their 7-0 defeat by Barcelona and described the set of circumstances leading up to the match as 'a horrible equation'.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton had sympathy with Celtic couterpart Brendan Rodgers over the 7-0 defeat by Barcelona. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Brendan Rodgers’ side had just 72 hours to enjoy their 5-1 win over Rangers before they themselves suffered a bruising drubbing from Barcelona in the Champions League.

Given his own side’s weekend failings, Warburton was in no mood to eulogise on where that result leaves Scottish football’s international standing but did offer sympathy to his Celtic counterpart and the scheduling they faced before taking on one of the strongest attacking forces the game has ever known.

“It’s not for me to talk about another Glasgow team or another SPFL team,” Warburton said. “But the story there should be how intense was the Old Firm game?

“Celtic and Rangers had a very intense match at Parkhead, it took a lot out of both teams. They then have to travel to Spain and play one of the best teams in the world, who are smarting from a 2-1 home defeat to Alaves, a team who for the first time in 140-odd days have Neymar, Messi and Suarez back together again. You couldn’t get more pieces going wrong.

“I’m the Rangers manager but anyone in football will tell you that’s a horrible equation coming together. Within two minutes you saw how good they can be and thought as a neutral, that’s going to be a long night.

“It’s a tough place to go at the best of times without the other pieces coming together.”

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