ADVOCAAT DISTRAUGHT AT EXIT
The SPL champions were 12 minutes away from progressing into the second phase, thanks to a stunning Michael Mols' goal, which had given them a 2-1 lead, when Amoruso blundered to allow Marco Simone to drill in an equaliser.
The goal did the French side no good either. They slipped out of Europe altogether after finishing bottom of Group D, but Rangers, who had to win to shift Galatasaray or Sturm Graz, know they were so close to sealing their dream.
"You cannot give away the goals we did at this level and you cannot allow that kind of mistake," said Advocaat afterwards.
Asked if he felt Amoruso's recent controversy over the captaincy has robbed the Italian defender of his confidence, Advocaat replied: "No, the last three games he has done a good job."
But the Rangers boss could not disguise his frustration at slipping out of the Champions League at the group stage for the second time in two seasons.
"It is not the first time this has happened to us, " said Advocaat. "It was the same in Bayern Munich last year. Before the start of the group, I thought it was a tough draw but after winning the first two matches - one of them in Monaco - I expected that we would come through.
"But with all the circumstances of what has happened to the squad in the last few weeks, I am not surprised but I am still disappointed. We needed a little bit of luck but that was not there.
"We had the chances to kill the game to make it 2-0 and 3-1. Maybe 2-2 was a fair result but we had enough opportunities to win the game. If we had taken one, it was over and out for Monaco.
"If you look at the result we had when we played Monaco away with a full side, you can see what we could have done. But we are still involved in the UEFA Cup.
"Galatasaray came from the Champions League into the UEFA Cup last season and went onto win it, so everything is still open to us in Europe."
Monaco coach Claude Puel reflected on the result that leaves his team out of Europe completely after finishing bottom of Group D.
He said: "The draw was no good for either side. Rangers had a lot of quality but it is sad that we did not qualify. But it is not tonight's result that put Monaco out - it was other games, especially the defeat we had in Sturm Graz.
"The Champions League has cost us a lot of energy and now my team has to simply concentrate of winning the French title again."
However, Puel reckons that Rangers may get a tough ride in the UEFA Cup saying: "Their morale will be dented and it depends on their spirit - the UEFA Cup is not easy."
