Realistic Stewart Robertson insists Rangers can't get over-excited by their Champions League windfall - because a mega payday is far from guaranteed.
The Ibrox side came through a gruelling qualifying schedule and saw off PSV to reach the group stage of the competition proper and were landed a star-studded group with Ajax, Napoli and Liverpool for their efforts. So far they've shipped seven goals without reply ahead of an October double-header with the Reds, and Robertson admits competing with Europe's elite has been a major challenge due to the financial disparity on show.
Qualifying for the Champions League handed Gers a major financial boost but the £40m figure touted was always likely to be an exaggerated estimate - with a figure closer to £30m the reality. In any case, Robertson insists much of the Euro cash had already been budgeted for as Europa League qualification was a given - and says they won't be seeing the mega figures quoted on their bank balance unless they go deep into the competition.
He told Rangers Review : “Some think the money has fallen out of the sky but it's not like that because we know we will be in the group stages of the Europa League. That’s budgeted. The £40m number is just wrong.
“Unless we perform really well, get through to the next round, even get through to the last eight, we are probably not getting anywhere close to £40m.
"And we know the challenge in doing that because you are up against the biggest clubs in Europe. When you sit with Dortmund last year and you hear budgets are five times ours, I suspect we will have one of the smallest budgets in the Champions League this year.
“Against Napoli, I thought we showed we can compete. Take the Ajax game away because that was different. Everybody knows we can do better but you realise the difference between the Europa League and the Champions League in terms of quality.
“I hope people can now see (the reality). I think we should have done more to get that message out earlier.”
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