A former Rangers player is humiliated 10-0, but another former Ibrox great is still hoping for European success.

Rangers might have skipped the play-offs and fast-tracked themselves into the last-16 of the Europa League, but a few other Ibrox on their CVs were not quite so lucky.

On a mixed night for players of Rangers’ recent past, one has a place in the last-16 of the Champions League to fuel his attempted return from injury, while the other saw his European dream come crashing down in Paris.

The ‘City of Lights’? More like the City of Nightmares for Abdallah Sima. There are a few other choice rhymes which we’re sure you can figure out on your own.

If Paris Saint-Germain are grizzled veterans of continental latter-stages these days, then Stade Brestois were entering uncharted territory. Completely brand spanking new to the Champions League as a whole, let alone the knockout stages.

Former Rangers loanee Sima was perhaps the biggest factor in their unexpected progression through the first phase – Brest’s top scorer thanks to a winner against Sturm Graz and a Red Bull Salzburg brace – but his best efforts counted for little as PSG made their considerable quality county in a seven-star showing.

At the Parc des Prices, a performance fit for royalty.

Rangers hero Abdallah Sima beaten 10-0 on aggregate by PSG

Who knows how differently a catastrophic evening in the French capital may have turned out for Brest had Pierre Lees-Melou succeeded in converting Sima’s clever cross with the score still goalless? The hugely-experienced Marquinhos cleared his effort off the line.

Only seven minutes later, PSG got the party started through Bradley Barcola. On a night dominated by Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick as Real Madrid cruised past Manchester City, the man who took his place on the left-hand side of The Parisian’s attack scored a goal worthy of his predecessor.

£58 million January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia then opened his Champions League account for PSG, before further strikes from Vitinha, Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu secured a 7-0 win on the night.

A 10-0 triumph on aggregate.

And, if Sima felt for a second that the footballing gods were handing him a ray of sunshine to keep warm amidst the rain, a consolation goal ruled out for offside rather summed up his – and Brest’s – most miserable of evenings.

That he was one of only three Brest players to receive a greater score than 3/10 by French publication Maxifoot will count for very little indeed.

“Will PSG have a chance in the last-16?,” a defeated and devastated Brest coach Eric Roy sighed post-match. “Clearly, Paris will have every chance regardless of the opponent.”

Malik Tillman will hope to play Champions League role

As the curtain’s closed on Brest’s European adventure – Sima and the rest of his beleaguered teammates tumbling down the trapdoor – another one-time Rangers loanee may yet be given the opportunity to grace one of the game’s greatest stages.

Malik Tillman – an exciting if inconsistent talent at Ibrox but a playmaking extraordinaire at PSV Eindhoven – was not part of the squad for Wednesday’s thrilling 3-1 triumph over Juventus. Tillman has been unavailable for the Eredivisie champions since January after suffering a serious injury.

A last-16 tie against either Arsenal or Inter Milan, however, will provide that extra little kick of motivation for a footballer desperate to still play a major role in the season’s conclusion.

“[I am so disappointed to be injured] especially with the matches coming up in the Champions League, the Dutch cup and the league,” Tillman said a few weeks back.

“Hopefully, I can make my comeback this season.”