Rafa Silva netted the only goal of the second leg contest midway through the second half, with the Light Blues bemoaning an obdurate defensive showing from a star-studded Benfica who were clinical when their counter-attacking opportunity arose.

Indeed, the defeat marked the first time that the Light Blues have tasted defeat at Ibrox in the competition in nine matches, which is testament to the club’s recent storied history in the competition.

However, it’s all to play for in both the league and Scottish Cup for Philippe Clement’s side in the concluding few months of the campaign, with Rangers set to visit Dundee at Sunday lunchtime in the Scottish Premiership.

It was Rangers who fashioned the first dangerous moment of this evening’s contest when a curling cross to the far post by Fabio Silva was met by James Tavernier, although the captain could only nod his header downwards in the direction of a grateful Benfica defender.

Moments later and the home side, roared forward by a boisterous Ibrox crowd, stung the palms of the visiting goalkeeper when Tom Lawrence combined neatly with the effervescent Silva and had his low, driven effort tipped around for a corner at the near post.

Benfica’s attacking threat had been muted in the opening quarter of an hour, with only a speculative attempt from 25 yards by Fredrik Aursnes keeping Jack Butland warm as the rain drizzled onto the slick Ibrox surface.

John Souttar then found himself in nosebleed territory moments later when he swung a dangerous delivery towards the back post that Cyriel Dessers was inches away from connecting with.

In truth, the only joy that the Portuguese side were able to derive in the opening period was from pouncing on Rangers mistakes, with John Lundstram caught in possession inside his own half and Angel di Maria curling a delicious delivery across the face of goal with the outside of his boot that almost led to the opener.

The rain continued to fall unabated as the first half wore on, with the ball visibly being held up in the rain-soaked pitch as both teams searched for the moment of quality that would break the tie open.

Indeed, it was a driving run from Scott Wright which produced perhaps Rangers’ best moment until that point two minutes into the second half. His lay-off to Dessers was on the money, with the Nigerian chopping onto his left side before curling an effort wide that took a deflection en route.

Rangers were in the ascendancy, and they very nearly broke the deadlock three minutes later when Tavernier’s delivery wreaked havoc inside the Benfica penalty area and was almost diverted into his own net by defender Antonio Silva.

Despite their superiority within the game, the Light Blues were almost caught with the back door open after a short corner went awry and the Portuguese outfit raced forward in transition. A two-versus-one then developed at far post, allowing Fredrik Aursnes to pull a cross back to half-time substitute Casper Tengstedt who steered his finish straight down the throat of Butland.

And Benfica soon took the lead on the evening after the home side shot themselves in the foot from their own corner-kick. The Light Blues were undermanned at the back as Angel di Maria was able to nod through to Rafa Silva on the halfway line who hared through and showed impressive composure to dispatch into the bottom corner with only Butland to beat.

The linesman initially ruled that the forward had strayed offside, but it was only a brief reprieve for the home side as VAR deemed that Silva’s run had emanated inside his own half.

Clement sent for Rabbi Matondo and Todd Cantwell shortly afterwards – with the latter’s return from injury much-welcomed by the Gers boss – and there was a brief moment that brought the Ibrox crowd to its feet when Silva stood up his marker on the left-hand side and won a corner after receiving a smart slide rule pass from Matondo.

However, Benfica were proving stiff defensive opposition, with defender Antonio Silva enjoying an impressive individual performance in marshalling the threat of Rangers’ forward players.

Five minutes of additional time was signalled by the fourth official, but the clocked eventually ran out on the Ibrox side as Benfica advanced to the last eight.

RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Ridvan, Lundstram, Diomande (Raskin, 85), Lawrence (Cantwell, 72), Wright (Matondo, 72), Silva, Dessers (Roofe, 76)

Subs not used: McCrorie, Roofe, Davies, Barisic, King, McCausland, Yfeko, Fraser, McKinnon

BENFICA: Trubin, Antonio Silva, Bah, Neres (Kokcu, 64), Aursnes, di Maria (Mario, 88), Rafa Silva (Gouveia, 90), Otamendi, Leonardo (Tengstedt, 45), Florentino, Neves

Subs not used: Soares, Kokubo, Carreras, Morato, Cabral, Rollheiser, Araujo

REFEREE: Ivan Kruzliak (SVK)