Danny Röhl sends title warning to Hearts and Celtic, references Rangers fan banner and criticises penalty call

Rangers head coach Danny Röhl has insisted the title race remains very much alive despite his side suffering a dramatic late 3-2 defeat to Motherwell at Ibrox.

The result was a bitter blow for Rangers, who had shown strong character to fight back from a two-goal deficit in the second half. Goals from Youssef Chermiti and Nico Raskin brought the hosts level and put them in a position where they looked capable of completing the turnaround. However, just as momentum appeared to be on their side, Motherwell struck in the dying moments, with Emmanuel Longelo’s effort taking a decisive deflection off Emmanuel Fernandez before finding the net.

The defeat sees Rangers drop to third place in the table with just four games remaining, but Röhl has refused to concede defeat in the title race. Instead, he stressed that belief remains crucial in the final stretch of the campaign, pointing to a banner displayed by supporters reading “Keep Believing” as a message the squad must embrace.

While acknowledging his disappointment with the result, Röhl highlighted the positives from his side’s second-half display, suggesting Rangers created enough chances to win the game comfortably despite a poor opening 45 minutes. He admitted that tactical adjustments at the break had a significant impact, helping his side regain control and create multiple scoring opportunities.

At the same time, the Rangers boss did not shy away from criticising his team’s defensive shortcomings, particularly in the first half. He pointed to issues with pressing, positioning, and a lack of aggression when defending from the front, which allowed Motherwell to exploit space and create overloads in dangerous areas.

Röhl also raised concerns about his team’s defensive line, noting that they were too slow to push up and failed to react quickly enough in key moments. These lapses, combined with recurring problems in transition, contributed to the goals conceded—something he described as a persistent issue that continues to make games more difficult than they should be.

He emphasised the importance of keeping clean sheets, explaining that constantly chasing games drains energy and leaves the team vulnerable late on. While he acknowledged that Motherwell were clinical with their chances, Röhl made it clear that Rangers must improve defensively if they are to remain competitive in the closing stages of the season.

Looking ahead, Röhl framed the remaining fixtures as “four finals,” underlining the significance of every point from here on. Despite the setback, he remains confident that Rangers can still mount a serious challenge, provided they learn from their mistakes and maintain belief.

With the title race still finely balanced, Röhl’s message was clear: Rangers are not out of contention yet—but improvements, particularly at the back, are essential if they are to keep their hopes alive.