Rangers given potential Champions League lifeline after Dortmund progress

Borussia Dortmund's run to the UEFA Champions League final could open up a chance for Rangers to qualify automatically for the 2025-26 tournament, according to The Express.

Rangers may be in a position to gain automatic entry into the expanded format, after Dortmund's progression to this year's decider provided a shake-up in the UEFA coefficient rankings.

The Bundesliga will be given five spots in next season's tournament after moving into the top two of UEFA's rankings, and that opens the door for another automatic qualifying spot, which could well be Rangers' if they win the 2024-25 Scottish Premiership.

The Express' report said that the Gers - if successful in winning next year's league title - will be amongst the highest-ranked champions despite Scotland dropping to 11th in the coefficient standings, and should these factors remain the same in 12 months' time, an automatic place in the Champions League is theirs to lose.

Can Rangers reach the Champions League?

Rangers progressing automatically into the Champions League in two seasons' time depends entirely on them winning the Scottish Premiership title in 2024-25, and that's something they could still do in 2023-24.

Philippe Clement's side trail Celtic by three points going into a must-win Old Firm derby at Parkhead on 11 May, and a three-goal swing in the Gers' favour would see them overtake their Glasgow rivals at the top.

On the continent, Rangers have been the leading Scottish side for several years now, finishing as Europa League runners-up in 2022 and reaching at least the round of 16 stage in four of the last five seasons.

Their European exploits give Rangers a greater UEFA coefficient score than Celtic despite the latter dominating domestically, and they hold a 10-point advantage over Dinamo Zagreb in the current standings.

That score could prove to be crucial if Rangers are to secure an automatic Champions League berth in 2025, but as is the case this very weekend, that means they've got the sizeable task of overcoming Celtic in the Premiership title race.

In other Rangers news, a European club may now be ready to splash millions on a first-team Gers player after their recent announcement.

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