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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Where Rangers enter Champions League qualifying next season

A second-place finish in the Scottish Premiership this season will see Rangers enter the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

The Ibrox side are on course to take second in the league and with it the second-highest European qualification position in Scottish football.

However, due to shifting coefficients, there is a possibility Rangers could have no group stage football in Europe IF they lose three qualification ties.

Rangers need to win three Champions League qualifiers to make the league phase next season. Should they drop out then they will fall into the Europa League then Conference League qualifiers. 

There is no guarantee of league phase football in any competition if Rangers are in the league phase. 

But, there is one alternative scenario where Rangers could be bumped up from the league path to the champions path if Athletic Bilbao go on to win the Europa League this term and finish in the top four in La Liga.

If that happens, then Rangers will enter in the Champions League thrid qualifying round in the champions path and have Conference League league phase football as a bare minimum. 

Here, we lay out the permutations for where Rangers will enter the Champions League qualifying rounds next season and what results will mean for European football at Ibrox.


Read more: 


Champions League league path (if Bilbao do not win Europa League & finish top four in La Liga)

Champions League second qualifying round: Win = progress to third qualifying round, Loss = drop into Europa League third qualifying round

Champions League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = drop into Europa League league phase

Champions League play-off round: Win = Champions League league phase, Loss = drop into Europa League league phase

Europa League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = drop into Conference League play-off round

Europa League play-off round: Win = Europa League league phase, Loss = Conference League league phase

Conference League play-off round: Win = Conference League league phase, Loss = Out of Europe


Champions League champions path (if Bilbao win Europa League & finish top four in La Liga)

Champions League third qualifying round: Win = progress to play-off round, Loss = Europa League play-off

Champions League play-off round: Win = Champions League league phase, Loss = Europa League league phase

Europa League play-off: Win = Europa League league phase, Loss = Conference League league phase

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