The Rangers Champions League hope pinned on Athletic Bilbao
However, while their own team may no longer be involved, Rangers fans should take a vested interest in Athletic Club's progress in the competition.
That's because if the Spanish outfit goes on to win the tournament - with the final taking place in Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21 - then Rangers will receive a much-welcomed bump up in Champions League qualifying this summer.
At the moment, the Ibrox side will enter the qualifiers via the League Path. They will enter in the second round, where they could play the likes of Servette, Brann or Austria Vienna.
Here's where the big Bilbao bonus could come in, though.
If the team that wins the Europa League ALSO qualifies for next season's Champions League directly through their domestic league placing, then due to Rangers' coefficient ranking, they would be bumped up to the Champions Path of UCL qualification.
This would see them enter a round later and would also act as a cast-iron guarantee of group stage football next season, which, as things stand, is not a given in the League Pathway.
Read more:
Should Rangers fail in the Champions League, they would drop into the Europa League play-off, and then would either progress to the league phase of that competition or drop further into the Conference League if defeated at that stage.
Athletic Bilbao are the only team left in the Europa League that could offer such a benefit to Rangers.
They sit fourth in La Liga, and are five points clear of fifth-place Villarreal, while they are nine points ahead of Real Betis in sixth.
Manchester United and Tottenham both shockingly look likely to finish just above the relegation zone in the Premier League, while Bodo/Glimt are already confirmed as being in the Champions League play-off round.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Belfast Telegraph
6 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Miserable start for new Rangers manager Russell Martin as they drop points at Motherwell
Motherwell 1 Rangers 1 Rangers slipped at the starting line of their William Hill Premiership campaign with a draw against Motherwell at Fir Park. Gers skipper James Tavernier headed in from a corner in the 14th minute but Russell Martin's side never really found any rhythm. The Light Blues survived Well pressure for large spells of the second half but only until the 87th minute when Emmanuel Longelo drove in the equaliser. Rangers reached the Champions League third qualifying round by completing a 3-1 aggregate win over Panathinaikos in Athens on Wednesday but carried a fair bit of luck over the two games. And after this unimpressive display in Lanarkshire, there is clearly and understandably still work to do for Martin's side, as they try to implement his possession-based philosophy. Motherwell's new boss Jens Berthel Askou, a former team-mate of Martin at Norwich taking charge of his first league game, will be pleased by the way his side kept going when it looked like it would not be their day. Rangers could quickly fall behind champions and Old Firm rivals Celtic, who host St Mirren on Sunday, following a game that took time to warm up. In the fourth minute Well keeper Calum Ward palmed a 25-yard free-kick from Tavernier around a post and Kieran Dowell headed Joe Rothwell's corner over the crossbar. Rangers were getting their aim in. Attacker Djeidi Gassama – who started in place of Findlay Curtis in the only change – curled a shot wide after taking a pass from Brazilian striker Danilo, who then clipped the bar with a shot from 25 yards. However, it seemed all to easy for Tavernier to head in a Rothwell delivery to the back post for his 131st Gers goal, after Well skipper Paul McGinn had shanked a clearance to concede a corner. While dangerous in attack, the visitors looked fragile in defence at times – this could be a feature of their play this season – and in the 24th minute keeper Jack Butland fumbled an effort from an unmarked Longelo then blocked the shot on the rebound from striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos. Both sides were intent on playing out from the back and there were numerous turnovers but little in the way of goalmouth action, until Ward made a save from Gassama's header two minutes after the interval. Minutes later, Callum Slattery's whipped-in free-kick, after he had been fouled by Tavernier, found Elijah Just at the back post but he could not control his header and the ball went off target. Motherwell grew in confidence and Butland made a diving save from McGinn's low drive after the defender had burst into the Gers box, with John Souttar completing the clearance. Lyall Cameron and Cyriel Dessers replaced Mohamed Diomande and Danilo and debutant Cameron got booked immediately for a foul on Lukas Fadinger before he tested Ward with a 25-yard drive. At the other end, Stamatelopoulos headed over from just under the bar from a tantalising cross from Just. However, with three minutes remaining Longelo burst too easily into the Gers box and when the ball was repelled, Johnny Koutroumbis returned it into the area, Just chested it back and Longelo drilled it low past Butland for a well-deserved equaliser. And only a fine save from the Ibrox keeper in added time from substitute Tom Sparrow prevented a defeat.
Daily Record
6 minutes ago
- Daily Record
We should have beat Rangers, says Motherwell boss
Jens Berthel Askou was disappointed for his players that they didn't take more than a point Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou insists his side deserved to beat Rangers this evening and was disappointed for his players that they took just a point. James Tavernier's first-half header looked like taking all three points back to Glasgow, until Emmanuel Longelo struck with three minutes left. But sub Tom Sparrow passed up a chance to win the game, only to see his low shot well saved by Jack Butland. Askou reckons his side merited more, but says they're improving all the time. 'I'm very delighted for them,' said Askou. 'I have huge respect for what we were able to put out there, especially after a very tough and intense first half. 'We felt there was more in the game, that there were moments that we didn't grasp. 'We said we need to keep going and there would be more moments if we turned up the tempo and found a little bit more composure at times, which we were able to do in the second half. 'We then had the moments to win the game, but that's something that we will need to keep working on, to be even more effective. 'I said to the players I was very disappointed on their behalf that they didn't get the win at the end, because we did everything we could to get it. 'That's down to quality in these smaller situations, and we'll keep working on that and sharpen that up.' Askou added: 'They gave themselves the opportunity to win, and that's where it starts – with the effort and the desperation to go forward, punish them on the transitions and really work extremely hard throughout the entire game. 'I was very happy with that, and I know if we arw able to put in performances like this over time, there will be many more opportunities to win games.' Askou says there was no fear that Motherwell were running out of time. 'There was no fear, no disbelief, that the chance was gone,' said the Dane. 'I've seen this team score winning goals in stoppage time, and I knew we were always going to get an extra chance. 'I didn't see anyone taking their foot off the pedal and thinking 'oh, that was it',. 'It was hard to find someone to substitute because everyone was really top-performing and doing their best. 'I've seen enough times with this team, and football in general, that you have to keep going and anything can happen.'
Daily Record
6 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Chris Sutton fillets a Rangers 'disgrace' and claims 'rank rotten' flops triggered raging Russell Martin
Sutton was miffed by skipper James Tavernier's stock answers after Emmanuel Longelo's late leveller Astonished Chris Sutton was taken aback by Russell Martin's machine gun rant aimed at his own Rangers players on the first day of the season. And the Celtic legend reckons the boss must think his current first team squad is "rank rotten" after Martin went nuclear on their application, reverting to type and claiming an element of the players have an ego in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Motherwell. Sutton was equally miffed by skipper James Tavernier's stock answers after Emmanuel Longelo's late leveller cancelled out the captain's header from the first half. Speaking to Sky Sports, Sutton said: "He's gone very early with this (nuclear rant). It's a bit desperate, first game of the season, just sort of easing himself in, to absolutely machine gun the dressing room in the way that he did. "For him to do that on the first day of the season... He sees them everyday in training, he must think they are rank rotten. He must do, because why wouldn't there be a bit more balance? "I don't know what's going on at training, I don't know, when have you ever seen a manager come out and fillet a team? We all think he's right, by the way, but when have you ever seen a manager do that after the first game of the season?" Sutton didn't miss a misfiring Rangers side as he branded Kieran Dowell a "disgrace" for his meek tackle seconds before Longelo hit the net. Danilo earning a start ahead of Cyriel Dessers was also met with contempt by Sutton and fellow pundits Kris Boyd and James McFadden. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp, where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
