A disappointing week for Glasgow’s big two was compounded as Rangers and Celtic played out a forgettable goalless draw in the first Old Firm game of the new season at Ibrox.

After humiliating midweek Champions League exits, neither side could respond, with Russell Martin still searching for his first league victory as Rangers head coach and Brendan Rodgers now winless in four consecutive derbies for Celtic.

Perhaps avoiding defeat has bought the under-fire Martin some time, but his team never looked like a goal threat on the day.

A first half bereft of quality yielded no chances, flashpoints, or even any shots on target as John Souttar’s disallowed header was the only notable action of the opening 45 minutes.

Reo Hatate eventually registered the first attempt on goal on the hour mark, but no clear chances followed.

A dark week for Scottish football in which four sides failed to progress from crucial European qualifiers just got even darker.

Based on these two teams being the best the country has to offer, Scottish football may struggle to compete in Europe this season.

Old Firm fails to match hype

There was the strangest atmosphere inside Ibrox where Gers chairman Andrew Cavanagh and representatives of the club’s new US-based owners 49ers Enterprises, including vice-chairman Paraag Marathe, were in the directors’ box and the whole party could not have been impressed.

Former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski – signed from La Liga side Girona on Saturday – was handed his Rangers debut as club captain James Tavernier returned at right-back, with places for midfielders Mohamed Diomande and Connor Barron and attacker Mikey Moore.

As widely expected, fan favourite and arguably Rangers’ best player last season, Nicolas Raskin, was absent amid speculation about his future.

Michel-Ange Balikwisha, the 24-year-old Belgian winger signed from Royal Antwerp, was handed his Celtic debut, while 27-year-old Uruguayan left-back Marcelo Saracchi, who joined this week from Boca Juniors on a season-long loan, was on the bench. Swansea target Adam Idah was missing from the squad as he nears a move to Swansea City.

In the seventh minute, there was a Rangers penalty claim when Miovski and Celtic defender Liam Scales clashed inside the Hoops box but referee Don Robertson was having none of it.

Chants for Raskin rang round the blue-covered sections of the stadium before the half-hour mark as a poor first half unfolded.

And the cheers that followed Souttar heading in a free-kick from skipper James Tavernier soon ended when VAR confirmed an offside.

There was little improvement at the start of the second half, with Rangers still playing more direct football than previously this season.

In the 53rd minute Gers winger Djeidi Gassama left Parkhead defender Kieran Tierney trailing the right flank but his cross was snuffed out, ending in the hands of Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Gers keeper Jack Butland made his first real save on the hour mark and it was a comfortable one from Reo Hatate’s long-distance drive before he kept out an overhead kick from Tierney.

In the 65th minute James Forrest and Shin Yamada replaced Arne Engels and Balikwisha, with Tierney off for Sarrachi.

Cyriel Dessers and Oliver Antman came on for Miovski and Moore, then Nedim Bajrami took over from Thelo Aasgaard, as Martin looked to re-energise his flagging side.

But the match ended goalless, with neither side deserving the win.

What’s coming up in the Scottish Premiership?