Rangers learn possible Champions League qualification opponents after new update
Atalanta winning the Europa League has had positive ramifications for Rangers ahead of the Champions League qualifiers, where they’ll face one of four possible opponents.
Glasgow World has reported that the Bergamo side’s success over Bayer Leverkusen means Serie A will now have five spots in the new 36-team format, pushing the Gers into both the third qualifying round and potentially the play-off round thereafter.
That boost will see them pitted against unseeded opposition in the play-off round, with a guaranteed Europa League place to fall back on if unsuccessful against Dinamo Kyiv, Fenerbahce, FC Twente or Union Saint-Gilloise.
Philippe Clement’s side will also now avoid the prospect of qualifiers against teams like Lille, RB Salzburg, Slavia Prague or Benfica, the last of whom knocked Rangers out in the last 16 of this season’s Europa League.
Rangers must be ready for early Champions League campaign
A summer of mass change is already up and running at Ibrox, as Rangers look to build on a disappointing campaign by bringing in a host of new players for Clement to mount a title charge on multiple fronts.
With the Champions League qualifiers taking place in early August, the Belgian will be hoping that the majority of his new-look squad is in place before facing one of their four aforementioned opponents.
Although they’ll avoid a rematch with Benfica, getting past sides as dangerous as Dinamo and USG will be no mean feat for the Gers, and Clement will be taking nothing for granted even if he brings in his preferred transfer targets this summer.
That business is already well underway at Ibrox, with Brazilian left-back Jefte a youthful replacement for Borna Barisic and further defensive reinforcements on the way.
Rangers have hit heights on the continent that Celtic could only dream of in recent years, and after being beaten to both the Scottish Premiership and Cup by their Glasgow rivals, Clement will know that early Champions League qualification could tee up a successful season across the board.
This could be a real boost.
In other Rangers news, a report has named which Ibrox loanee is most likely to be part of the squad next season.
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