Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot is an unlucky man.

Earlier this month, the 25-year-old Scotland international was taken to hospital after an egg he was microwaving exploded. He was trying to poach the egg but hot liquid squirted out when he opened the microwave door, burning his cheek.

There followed lots of newspaper headlines about him having “egg on his face”.

The player was already ruled out for the rest of the season because of a series of niggles.

Now he has been told he won’t play again until November following surgery on his left foot.

It seems he isn’t a broad foot after all…

PHOTO: Scotland’s Kirk Broadfoot celebrates scoring against Iceland during their World Cup 2010 Group 9 qualifying soccer match in Reykjavik September 10, 2008. REUTERS/David Moir

Rangers players Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor will no longer be considered for Scotland duty in a shock decision from the country’s FA.

The pair were dropped for Wednesday’s game against Iceland following allegations of a drinking session and were then pictured giving V signs while sat on the bench. Ferguson has also been stripped of the Rangers captaincy.

They have obviously been stupid if the accusations are true but do the punishments fit the crime?

If a future manager wants them back in the squad, I can see the decision being overturned.

You shouldn’t laugh, but it’s hard not to after the mighty Old Firm, soccer’s biggest domestic bullies, once again found they were not so tough when they are allowed into the big boys’ playground.

Celtic might stick it to Hamilton Academical and Falkirk on a regular basis but AaB Aalborg proved too good for them on Tuesday as a 2-1 win for the Danes ended the Glasgow club’s interest in the Champions League early - again.

Why do Scotland’s finest struggle to make any impact when a similar-sized club like Porto continually do well and Anorthosis Famagusta flourish this year?

The Aalborg defeat should not have come as a shock as Celtic have now managed one draw, and a remarkable 19 defeats from their last 20 Champions League away games.

Barry Robson’s opener last night was their first away goal in the competition for two years but it was almost fated that they should add the Aalborg Stadion to the long list of barren grounds with a Gary Caldwell own goal three minutes from time.

Tuesday’s result also ensured that, despite overcoming their travel travails to reach the knockout phase in the last two seasons, they would finish bottom of their group and not even have a crack at the UEFA Cup, where they reached the final in 2003.

Asked before Tuesday’s game whey Celtic had such a poor return from their Champions League away games, manager Gordon Strachan said: “The other teams have scored more goals than us and we haven’t scored enough. It’s quite simple really.”

My how they must have laughed at the razor wit, and perhaps had another chuckle when the simple formula was repeated a few hours later.

Even after what Strachan somehow described as an “unbelievable defeat”, he found a positive spin by saying: “We don’t need to feel embarrassed because there are a lot of teams around Europe who would like to be worried about their away record in the Champions League  but can’t get anywhere near it.”

Rangers, champions of Scotland just the 51 times, did not even get past the qualifying stage this season as they were undone by Lithuanians Kaunas, who coincidentally were knocked out by Aalborg in the next round.

But for suffering Old Firm fans, help is at hand in the form of a return to their never-ending duel for supremacy in the Scottish Premier League this weekend. 

And when everyone else is getting excited about the last 16 of the Champions League next year, Rangers and Celtic can fight it out in the Scottish Cup, where they might just add to their combined 102 appearances in the final.

PHOTO: Celtic’s Scott McDonald fights for the ball with AaB Aalborg’s Andreas Johansson (R) during their Champions League match in Denmark, Nov. 25. REUTERS/Henning Bagger/Scanpix

The UEFA Cup final has thrown together two teams of contrasting styles, pitting free-scoring Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg , managed by Dutchman Dick Advocaat, against a defensively-solid Rangers team guided by Walter Smith.

Will that combination produce yet another classic at the showpiece at the City of Manchester stadium?

The last 10 finals since 1998 have been largely high-scoring affairs - averaging 3.9 goals per match. Who could forget Liverpool’s epic 5-4 win over Alaves, secured with a golden goal in 2001, or Porto’s 3-2 victory over Celtic two years later.

Zenit, even without suspended top scorer Pavel Pogrebynak for the final, have the potential to test the best club defences.

In 16 European games the Russians  have rammed in 29 goals, an impressive tally not lost on Smith, who believes Zenit would have more than held their own had they played Champions League football this season.

Zenit will play in Europe’s premier club competition next season, reward for winning the Russian title, but Advocaat must first hatch a plan to overcome a club he knows inside out having guided Rangers to two league titles between 1998 and 2002.

Rangers have found goals hard to come by since parachuting into the UEFA Cup from the Champions League, but with Spaniard Carlos Cuellar, named Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year, a rock at the back they do not concede many either.

The thousands of Rangers fans expected to pack the City of Manchester stadium won’t give a hoot if the Ibrox side repeat their semi-final penalty shootout win over Fiorentina when both sides cancelled each other out and failed to come up with a goal over a turgid two legs.

The omens for goals are not good though - the only previous European final held in Manchester - the 2002-03 Champions League decider between Juventus and AC Milan at Old Trafford - finished scoreless after 120 minutes.

PHOTO: Media crews film the UEFA cup at a news conference at the City of Manchester stadium in Manchester, northern England May 13, 2008. REUTERS/Michael Dalder