Rangers 0-1 Benfica(2-3 agg): Hosts crash out of UEL after Silva's strike

Not now, perhaps. In the fullness of time Rangers might come to regard this disappointing Europa League exit as a mild blessing in disguise.

After a 2-2 draw in Lisbon a glorious chance to reach the quarter-finals beckoned. Finalists two years ago a pre-match tifo in the Broomloan Stand featured a Rangers bus en route to Dublin in May.

A formidable proposition at Ibrox, Scotland’s league leaders had Portuguese champions Benfica just where they wanted them.

It was too much to ask in the end. The build up of games games, the injuries to key players, the quality of the opposition proved a bridge too far.

When Philippe Clement took over in September the final whistle at Ibrox was the trigger for a chorus of boos. The ovation for a knackered band of players from a crowd of 49433 reflected the distance this group of players have come together.

With Europe no more, Clement and his players will now focus their attentions on a clean sweep of domestic trophies. Their resources stretched, it might be no bad thing.

Until Thursday night the last time Benfica had won a game on Scottish soil was September 1960, when they beat Hearts in the European Cup. They’d been winless in five visits since and after failing to win the first leg at home in a two-legged knockout tie, the Portuguese champions had only managed to progress on one of five occasions.

That changed after a lightning quick breakaway goal after 67 minutes. It came from a Rangers corner, the ball lumped towards the halfway line with Angel Di Maria lurked with intent.

Benfica's last four goals in the Europa League (excluding own goals) have now been scored or assisted by the Argentine World Cup winner. When he headed the ball into the path of the lightning quick Rafa Silva, the top