Rangers reaction: Pain versus excitement, claims on Aarons and Rothwell plus 'owners' message

However, the under pressure Ibrox manager hailed his team’s second half performance, which included a goal from Danilo, as “fantastic”.

Furthermore, he stressed he is “excited’ by the opportunity Rangers now have to attack the second leg having been tasked with defending leads in the second leg of the previous two rounds.

It was a testing night at Ibrox for Martin and his players, who found themselves three goals down just 20 minutes in. A goal from Danilo five minutes after half time reduced the deficit and Rangers saw another goal chopped off following a VAR review because Djeidi Gassama was adjudged to have kicked the ball out of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s hands. It means Rangers must score at least twice in Belgium next week.

“We gave them a goal with the first kick of the game in our half,” Martin lamented, with reference to mix-up between defender Nasser Djiga and goalkeeper Jack Butland just three minutes in. Brugge scored a second shortly afterwards when the unmarked Jorne Spileers connected with a corner to side-foot into the far corner of the net.

“We concede a crazy goal and do not respond anywhere near well enough and out of the anxiety of conceding the goal we don’t do our job at the set play, which is really frustrating. It becomes so difficult. And then after that we make decisions based on desperation and anxiety, jumped when we shouldn’t, got played round a bit. The game plan went out of the window at that point. We needed a moment to calm down and re focus, which was difficult.”

Ibrox engulfed in jeers

Ibrox was engulfed in unhappiness and booing after Brandon Mechele hit a third after 20 minutes. “We did not respond well as a club but we have been hurt really early in the game,” Martin said. “The lads showed amazing resilience in the second half and the fans were amazing in the second half and the tie is still open, the players feel that. They really feel that. I am really proud of them. It will be as hard as it ever be for them in the first half and how they go through that, the guys who have had a tough start here, the way they played tonight, they have learned so much from this.

“As a group we will as well. The tie is still going on and it’s two teams that have been chasing us, now we get the chance to be the one to chase and attack the game. I am excited about that opportunity, the players have done that in the second half when the energy completely changed.”

Martin re-emphasised that patience is required at a club where a quick fix is not the option. “There’s been a fragility at this club for a long, long time so it’s not a new thing,’ he said. “So when I talk about change and changing habits and trying to act in a certain way all the time, it is not easy.

“When I say as a club we didn’t react very well to those moments, we didn’t: the players, supporters, everyone. Because the club has had a lot of pain for however many years, bar one season in the last 13, 14 years.

“That, for the players, is really difficult to work through and get over. The fact they did at half time is fantastic. There should a lot of excitement and hope for what is to come and the fans are so entitled to their opinion.

“They are the most important people at the football club. And in the second half I will say it again, they were fantastic. The team is going to need them. We are going to need to grow together and achieve together what we want. We are all here for the same reason. We want to win things and hopefully put a team on the pitch the fans are proud of. I was proud of the team in the second but – and this is not me criticising, it’s stating a fact right now – I think it’s where we are as a football club, the precursor to change is pain very often.

‘We have owners who understand’

“The club has bounced around with different ideas and different plans and really been hinged on emotion and making decisions for a quick reaction. Now we have owners and a leadership team that understands where the club has been and needs to go. I understand that is not going to come without some pain. Tonight we have had some real pain in the first 45 minutes but we got through it together and finished the game brilliantly and we did enough to feel excited about next week’s game.

“We’re seven and a half weeks in and usually at this point you’ve played only a couple of games,” he added.

“We’re at a club where the demands are totally different. We’ve had some guys who’ve found the start tough but tonight they came through it brilliantly.

“It was (Joe) Rothwell’s best game, (Max) Aarons’ best game, (Jayden) Meghoma was fantastic. Danilo will be better for scoring and Gas grows with every game. There’s lots for us to be excited about moving forward. And the tie’s not over. Our focus is to win on Sunday playing with the same level of intensity we showed in the second half. And then we have to go next week and really attack it.”

Brugge manager Nicky Hayen said his side, who came back from two goals down to Red Bull Salzburg in the previous round, claimed the tie is not over. But he provided some insight into the Belgian’s gameplan.

“We knew where the spaces were,” he said. “We played a friendly game here recently and knew if we could play at the intensity and level of the first half (when they led 2-0) again, we can hurt the team.

“As long as there are 90 minutes to play, anything is possible. We were 2-0 down v Salzburg. We have to be smart, we have to be intelligent. Everyone has to still do their job.”