Rangers given major boost by what Atalanta did, Hearts fans should now be concerned
Rangers have been given a welcome boost in their hopes of reaching the Champions League proper next season without even kicking a ball.
The Gers rounded off their Scottish Premiership campaign on Saturday (18 May) with a 3-3 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle.
Some 1,792 miles away in Apulia, meanwhile, Atalanta beat Lecce 2-0 in a game that seemingly had little relevance to Rangers on the face of it.
Atalanta could give Rangers a helping hand
However, as per Scotland’s Coefficient on X [18 May], it is a result that could have positive ramifications for the Gers – and subsequently spell bad news for Hearts.
The win moved Atalanta within a point of Serie A’s top four, just behind Bologna and Juventus in third and fourth respectively.
With two games to go, if Atalanta manage to finish in the top four then it means Benfica will not be in Champions League qualifying.
If Atalanta finish outside the top four, then Bayer Leverkusen have to win the Europa League to keep Benfica out of qualifying.
Manage that and it will also mean Rangers are guaranteed to be seeded in both qualifying rounds, thus meaning what should be an easier path.
Benfica tie worst-case scenario for Rangers
Football is not played on paper, of course, but being seeded and also avoiding Benfica would be a huge relief for Philippe Clement.
If a reminder was needed, the Portuguese heavyweights eliminated the Light Blues from the Europa League earlier this year.
As for Hearts, they need Atalanta to finish outside the top four – plus other permutations – to go straight into the Europa League group phase.
Rangers fans will therefore be cheering on Atalanta in their remaining two fixtures in the hope of having as kind a qualifying route as possible.
In other Rangers news, Jack Butland ‘uncomfortable truth’ emerges with £10m+ Ibrox exit mooted.
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