Larne ace reveals why Irish League sides have adopted a new mindset for European battles
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Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Rangers to request postponement of fixture amid new rule
This is contingent on their progression in the Champions League. The Ibrox club wishes to exercise the new rule allowing the postponement of league fixtures between European play-off matches. The league's governing body had earlier confirmed clubs involved in the play-off round of European competitions could request their matchday three fixture be postponed. This is to aid their qualification efforts. Rangers' match against St Mirren is scheduled for Sunday, August 24, at the SMiSA Stadium. However, it will only take place if they do not progress to the play-off round. The club will have to first succeed in the third qualifying round tie against Viktoria Plzen. A win there will see them face either Red Bull Salzburg or Club Brugge in the play-off round. Their progression will result in the postponement of the fixture against St Mirren. A club statement confirmed: "Our fixture against St Mirren at the SMiSA Stadium has now been rescheduled for Sunday, 24 August, kicking off at 12 noon and will be shown live on Sky Sports. "However, following a request from the club, should we progress to the UEFA [[Champions League]] play-off round, we will exercise the option to postpone the match and it will be played at a later date." The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has also provided an update on match arrangements for round three of the William Hill Premiership. An [[SPFL]] statement read: "As previously confirmed, Dundee United v Aberdeen on Saturday, August 23 has been postponed following a request by Aberdeen, who will be participating in the [[UEFA]] Europa League play-offs. "The new policy, which allows clubs involved in UEFA play-off matches to postpone their round three fixtures, was approved by the SPFL Board in April to support clubs aiming to reach the league phase of UEFA competitions. "St Mirren v Rangers has been selected for live coverage on Sky Sports on Sunday, August 24, kick-off 12 noon, but following a request from Rangers will be postponed if they reach the play-off round of the Champions League." The SPFL will announce new dates for postponed round three matches following the publication of the UEFA league phase fixtures at the end of August.
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Palmer considering Deauville or Newmarket for Fitzella
The daughter of Too Darn Hot broke her maiden at Haydock and was not disgraced in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting when fourth behind Karl Burke's smart Venetian Sun. But she came out on top on her return to the Berkshire circuit when beating Staya by a length and Palmer is now plotting where to send her next before a trip to the Breeders' Cup. The Malpas-based handler said: 'We were very pleased with that. She seems to have come out of it in very good order. 'She's already had four starts. It's a question of how many more times do we want to run her this season. She's kind of grown and changed all year and I think she is a filly with a future, I don't think she is just a two-year-old. 'In my mind there will probably be no more than two more goes this year. She is potentially a filly for the Breeders' Cup, so that possibly means just one more European run. We want to do everything we can to make sure that's a winning European run before we go to California. 'In my head I thought maybe the Prix du Calvados (at Deauville on August 24), which is where Simmering went last year after winning the Princess Margaret and I thought that looked quite a nice fit. 'Predicting and reading the ground in France is tricky and she does want top of the ground, but it's very hot in August in Deauville and it dries out very quickly being by the beach and by the river and we'll just have to be on weather watch. 'If that didn't work I thought probably the Rockfel (at Newmarket on September 26) would be an obvious target, it'll be another month later but the Cambridgeshire meeting tends to throw up quite quick ground, still being relatively early. 'She is in the Moyglare as well. But the Moyglare being that jump to Group One company might be the hardest way to keep her unbeaten, to make sure her next run is a winning one. 'Any Group winning two-year-old from this point of the season onwards, you're thinking about the Guineas. There's a lot of water to throw under the bridge between now and then but that's what we'd like her to be.'
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Rangers team news for huge Champions League clash revealed
[[Rangers]] host the Czech side at Ibrox this evening in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the elite European competition. Martin has made several changes to the [[Rangers]] side, which drew 1-1 with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership opener on Saturday. Rangers know they will face either Red Bull Salzburg or Club Brugge if they qualify from he third qualifying round into the play-off round. Should [[Rangers]] fail to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League then they will drop into the Europa League this season. Read more: RANGERS XI: Butland, Aarons, Djiga, Souttar, Jefte, Rothwell, Cameron, Diomande, Antman, Gassama, Dessers SUBS: Kelly, Tavernier, Cortes, Barron, Bajrami, Dowell, Fernandez, Raskin, Rice, Gentles, Curtis, Danilo
