Attendance 40,572
Rangers learned the sad, sad truth of their true Champions League standing when they were heavily defeated 4-1 at Ibrox tonight by Seville - a second-half collapse exposing the shortcomings in the home defence.
Nevertheless despite the finality of this heavy defeat it cannot be emphasised too strongly that the major turning-point of the game arrived in 35 minutes with the game goalless when Rangers were denied a stonewall penalty when Steven Naismith had the legs whipped from under him by Abdoulay Konko. Not only was it a certain spot-kick - it was also a red card for the French defender, only for Swedish Referee Jonas Eriksson to totally bottle his decision.
A disappointing attendance of 40,572 spectators perhaps reflected the high admission prices, with Manager Walter Smith making three changes from Saturday with Sasa Papac, Steve Davis and Pedro Mendes replacing Steven Smith, Nacho Novo and Kenny Miller.
The Spanish side were first to threaten in thirteen minutes when Jesus Navas' cross found Freddy Kanoute whose shot was blocked by Allan McGregor.
Eleven minutes later Lee McCulloch's stunning twenty-yard volley flashed just over after a Davis cross had been nodded into his path by Naismith.
Rangers had held the upper hand for much much of the first-half - the shocking penalty incident denying them a deserved 35th minute lead that would surely have changed the entire course of the game.
Adriano tested McGregor with an angled drive before the interval that the goalkeeper parried - Jesus Navas firing over from the rebound.
The Light Blues had every reason to be content (and angry) with the events of the opening 45 minutes - but the second-half would be an entirely different story.
McCulloch came close to opening the scoring two minutes after the restart when McCulloch's header from a Jerome Rothen free-kick was just over.
The opening goal arrived in fifty minutes - at the other end - when the award of a non existent free-kick saw Lolo find Jesus Navas in acres of space on the right, his pinpoint cross to the unmarked Konko (who had no right to still be on the park) who had the simple task of heading home.
Rangers almost made an immediate response three minutes later when Steven Whittaker's low cross was inches away from the inrushing Naismith and Papac.
Kevin Thomson tested Andres Palop in 56 minutes when his curling 22-yard left-foot shot from a Mendes lay-off was turned over by the Seville goalkeeper.
Seven minutes later the tie was effectively put our of reach when the unmarked Adriano slotted home from a Luis Fabiano cutback.
The Ibrox defence was being torn apart - Luis Fabiano outjumping Whittaker at the far post in 71 minutes to head home from a Freddy Kanoute cross.
In a last throw of the dice, Walter Smith introduced both Novo and Kris Boyd sixty seconds later in place of Rothen and McCulloch.
The game was turning into a rout however - Kanoute turning the ball home from Luis Fabiano's square-ball in 73 minutes as the home defence was being sliced apart time and time again.
Boyd had the chance to open his Champions League acount immediately thereafter when he was put through by Whittaker only for Palop to block his effort.
A surging Madjid Bougherra run in 77 minutes released Novo who really should have done better than hook wildly over.
The Spanish striker made amends ten minutes later however when his surging run ended with a 25-yard drive that tore into the net.
It was no more than a consolation however - and afterwards a crestfallen Walter Smith lamented:
"The penalty incident was a vital decision. It was a clear penalty - but the referee has to send their player off as well. At this level you expect better. He was perfectly positioned. We played well for an hour but needed a break to go our way. I was disappointed with some of our defending but give Seville credit for some of their finishing."
RANGERS McGregor; Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; Davis, Mendes, McCulloch (Boyd 72), Thomson, Rothen (Novo 72); Naismith
UNUSED SUBS Alexander, Miller, Smith, Fleck, Little
SEVILLE Palop; Konko, Squillaci, Escude, Navarro; Jesus Navas, Zokora, Lolo, Adriano (Capel 64); Luis Fabiano (Romaric 77), Kanoute (Negredo 73)
UNUSED SUBS Varas, Dragulinovic, Renato, Sanchez
REFEREE Jonas Eriksson (Sweden)