Celtic, Rangers and Hearts handed 'reality check' in Europe, says Kris Boyd
Rangers recorded the worst Champions League group campaign in history; Celtic picked up just two points from their six matches; Hearts finished third in their Europa Conference League group
Thursday 3 November 2022 16:38, UK
Sky Sports pundit Kris Boyd believes Scottish football has been served a "reality check" in Europe this season.
Both Celtic and Rangers finished bottom of their respective Champions League groups without a victory while Hearts only managed wins against RFS, the lowest-ranked team in their Europa Conference League group.
It means there will be no Scottish sides involved in the knockout stages of European football, in contrast to last season when Giovanni van Bronckhorst's team reached the final of the Europa League.
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"I think we've learned we're absolutely miles off the level of the elite," said Boyd.
"Sometimes we look at our players in Scotland, especially Rangers and Celtic because they dominate games and they're far superior to other teams, and we propel them into believing they are a lot better than what they actually are.
"It's a reality check for Scottish football.
"Yes we have our two giants back at the top table of European competition and they both should be there, but they are not at that level yet.
"If they did it consistently for five or six years it would generate funds to allow them to get better players but, ultimately, because of what happens when you have a successful season you lose your top players.
"You look at Rangers last season after their Europa League campaign and Celtic have dominated Scottish football for a long period of time in terms of lifting trophies and they lose their best players.
"That's just what we are as a country, we sell our best players."
'Celtic's strikers failed to impress'
"Some people have said it has been a positive campaign for Celtic, in terms of performances, but it doesn't matter how you dress it up, they are bottom of the group.
"People say they have created chances, but does that mean Celtic's strikers are not at the level everybody thinks they're at because they didn't take those chances at that level?
"The only thing is the players' confidence hasn't taken a dent from Europe, unlike Rangers who were thrashed week in and week out.
"We thought at the start of the campaign, with the number of games coming up, there was the potential for Celtic to drop points in the Scottish Premiership.
"I think Ange Postecoglou has learned from their one defeat at St Mirren that there are some players he can leave out and some he can't."
'Rangers suffered a crisis of confidence'
"The biggest disappointment for Rangers is that they have suffered domestically.
"I think the performances recently have not been great, but the only time they have dropped points off the back of a midweek game was after the League Cup and not Europe.
"Rangers' confidence has taken an absolute battering.
"When you look at the confidence they got from winning games in Europe last season to it being at a low this time round.
"I think the big thing it shows you is when Scottish teams get some success in Europe it's very difficult to repeat it again because you lose your best players. That's just the way it is."
'Hearts will recover domestically'
"It's fantastic that Hearts were able to get there.
"They went into the group at the third pot team and beat the fourth pot team home and away, I don't think you can really ask much more of Hearts when you look at the opposition they were up against.
"I think the biggest disappointment for their European run would be that they seemed to pick up more injuries with every game they played and that's why they're in the situation they're in domestically.
"I still feel Hearts are the best of the rest and I would fully expect them to start climbing the Scottish Premiership once they get some players back."
Live SPFL
Celtic fixtures before the World Cup
Celtic vs Dundee United, Scottish Premiership - Saturday 5 November; kick-off 3pm
Motherwell vs Celtic, Scottish Premiership - Wednesday 9 November; kick-off 7.45pm
Celtic vs Ross County, Scottish Premiership - Saturday 12 November; kick-off 3pm
Rangers fixtures before the World Cup
St Johnstone vs Rangers, Scottish Premiership - Sunday 6 November; kick-off 12pm, live on Sky Sports
Rangers vs Hearts, Scottish Premiership - Wednesday 9 November; kick-off 7.45pm
St Mirren vs Rangers, Scottish Premiership - Saturday 12 November; kick-off 12.30pm, live on Sky Sports
Hearts fixtures before the World Cup
Hearts vs Motherwell, Scottish Premiership - Sunday 6 November; kick-off 3pm
Rangers vs Hearts, Scottish Premiership - Wednesday 9 November; kick-off 7.45pm
Hearts vs Livingston, Scottish Premiership - Saturday 12 November; kick-off 3pm
