Celtic + Rangers learn Champions League play-off round opponents as route to lucrative League Phase confirmed
Glasgow giants discover who they will face in the UEFA Champions League play-off round
Celtic and Rangers have learned who they could face in the Champions League play-off round after the draw was made at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon this morning.
Both clubs kicked off their respective Scottish Premiership campaigns at the weekend and they now know who stands in their way of securing a place in the lucrative league phase of Europe’s premier competition.
Three years have passed since the two rivals were both involved in the group stage - can they end that wait and pocket a £40 million jackpot this season?
Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops have been paired against Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) - who they thrashed 5-1 in the league phase last season - or FC Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) - the lowest ranked non-seeded team - from the ‘Champions Path’.
Russell Martin’s Gers have been drawn against RB Salzburg (Austria) or Club Brugge (Belgium) from the ‘League Path’ if they manage to beat Czech side Viktoria Plzen over two legs in the third qualifying round.
Play-off round draw reaction
Celtic:
The Scottish champions will be delighted with how the draw has panned out. They will fancy their chances of backing up their demolition of Slovan Bratislava this time round, should the Slovakian advance.
An 8,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan would be far from ideal, but they managed to avoid arguably the two toughest opponents on paper in the shape of Swiss champions Basel and Austrian outfit Sturm Graz.
Rodgers’ men will discover their fate over the next week with Kairat hosting Slovan on Wednesday, with the return leg taking place on Tuesday, August 12.
Rangers:
It was always going to be a difficult task for the Light Blues starting out in the second qualifying round and a two-legged tie against two established European teams will prove a major obstacle to overcome.
RB Salzburg finished runners-up in the Austrian Bundesliga to Sturm Graz last year, but have a squad brimming with talent. Club Brugge, meanwhile, have excelled in European competition over recent seasons and have been regulars in the Champions League group stages.
They earned a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park in the league phase and progressed to the last-16 before eventually succumbing to a 6-1 aggregate defeat to Aston Villa.
RB Salzburg host Brugge on Wednesday, before the decisive second leg takes place on Tuesday, August 12 when Martin’s side will find out their potential next destination if the can KO Viktoria Plzen.
When is the Champions League play-off round?
The play-off round ties are due to be played on the midweeks of August 19/20 and 26/27. With both clubs at home for the first legs, the ties will be played on different nights in Glasgow.
Celtic and Rangers WILL have the option to postpone a Scottish Premiership game to allow them more time to prepare for the make-or-break clash after new rules were introduced by the SPFL to help Scottish teams competing in Europe.
It now means that any top-flight club in a UEFA competition can reschedule matches sandwiched between the first and second legs. In this instance, the fixtures in questions are on Saturday, August 23:
- Celtic vs Livingston
- St Mirren vs Rangers