Steven Whittaker admits he let his team-mates down by getting sent off as Rangers went out of the Champions League in Malmo.

Whittaker was shown a straight red card for throwing the ball at Jimmy Durmaz after the whistle had sounded for a free-kick only 18 minutes into the game.

He was later joined by Madjid Bougherra who was dismissed for leading with his elbow as he went up for a header. With only nine men Rangers couldn't hold on to their 1-0 lead in Sweden and a late equaliser put them out 2-1 on aggregate.

"I'm gutted with what happened," said Whittaker. "I just got caught up in the game, caught up in the moment. Their guy kicked me off the ball and I threw it at him, which I shouldn't have done.

"The referee obviously saw what happened and took the decision to send me off. I felt he could have booked me and got on with it but he clearly saw it differently and thought I deserved to go.

"To be fair, straight after I'd done it I knew I shouldn't have. Right from that exact moment I was filled with regret, wishing I could turn the clock back 10 seconds.

"As I walked off I was pretty devastated and gutted for the boys. I was leaving them on the pitch with so much to do. They did brilliantly to get the lead with 10 men after that and I thought for a while they were going to win it."

Whittaker added that his team-mates had been supportive, saying: "The other boys just told me to keep my head up. There are plenty other games this season and we'll try to put things right.

"I'll bounce back from this – we all will – even though going out of the Champions League is far from ideal."