Rangers ‘supporters will be delighted’ after official UEFA announcement
Rangers will face Greek side Panathinaikos in their upcoming UEFA Champions League qualifier.
Russell Martin will take charge of his first competitive fixture at Ibrox as the Greek giants head to Glasgow for the first leg on Tuesday (22 July).
Panathinaikos will not provide easy opposition for Rangers, but the prospect of reaching the league phase of the Champions League should provide enough motivation for the Gers.
They will have to go through several qualifying rounds to reach the league phase, but Rangers have been handed a boost as they have now learned their potential next opponents.
Rangers handed a favourable Champions League draw
The draw for the third qualifying round of the Champions League has been made, with UEFA confirming who the winner of the tie between Rangers and Panathinaikos will play.
Czech side Viktoria Plzen or Swiss side Servette FC will be Rangers’ next opponents in the Champions League qualifying rounds, if they can win their first tie.
| Date | 5/6 & 12 August |
| Opponents | Viktoria Plzen or Servette FC |
| Stage | Third qualifying round |
| Opponents avoided in draw | Fenerbahce, Nice, SK Brann/FC Salzburg, |
Neither team will be pushovers. However, Rangers will still be relieved, given that their other options in the draw were Turkish giants Fenerbahce or French side OGC Nice.
The matches will take place on 5 or 6 August, with the second leg on 12 August, and Rangers will be gunning for a place in this tie.
Rangers must beat Panathinaikos in Champions League
Rangers’ upcoming matches against Panathinaikos are of the utmost importance, after the favourable draw has handed them a real chance at reaching the league phase.
Both the financial boost as well as the honour of playing in the Champions League make these next two games vital for Rangers, and qualification will be a huge boost for Martin as he attempts to win over the fanbase.
If Rangers get through and beat the winners of Viktoria Plzen and Servette, they will reach the final play-off round, which will mean they are just two games away from reaching the main stage of the Champions League.
Transfers will need to be resolved by the next round, with the Scottish Premiership kicking off alongside the European fixtures, and there is still plenty of work to do in terms of incomings and outgoings.
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