Rangers' six possible UCL 3rd qualifying round opponents profiled as club target group stage riches

Rangers will enter the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round draw via the non-champions route as they gear up for the difficult task of dining out at Europe’s top table alongside bitter rivals Celtic this season.

The Hoops guaranteed direct access in to the competition group stages once again and will receive a financial boost as a result. after their Scottish Premiership title triumph last term. The Ibrox side have been left to qualify to hard way following their latest runners-up finish.

It’s the same League path they’ve gone down in the last couple of seasons with Giovanni van Bronckhorst successful in his attempts before enduring a campaign to forget, while Michael Beale faltered at the first hurdle last summer. Another huge summer lies in store for Philippe Clement and his newly-revamped squad as the Belgian looks to give his side the best possible chance of reaching the big time.

However, Clement has declared his current crop of players aren’t ready for the Champions League, having made just six new signings to date including back-up goalkeeper Liam Kelly. Fellow recruits Hamza Igamane and Clinton Nsiala aren’t regarded a long-term prospects and aren’t considered ready to become regular first-team starters at present. And with their first European tie scheduled to take place on August 6/7, with the play-off round two weeks later if they progress, Clement knows he must bring in more experienced bodies ASAP.

“We need to add to the squad,” he confessed. “We need extra bodies and extra quality to be successful. But it’s also important that they don’t forget the league, because it’s now our focus to get the squad ready to play every three days in August. Some players will be ready for that, others not yet because they are coming out of injury, and won’t be able to play 90 minutes every three days - or even one time in a week. We have to get the squad fit so they can put it in for every game and then make a good start to the season.”

He continued: “I always believe that with your squad you can succeed. If you don’t believe it is possible, it will never happen. So it’s about the mindset of the players. They must believe in themselves and be hungry to become better because it’s not only about quality, it’s about work rate, it’s about mentality, it’s about what you do every day.

“I’ve seen players here who are now better than they were six months ago. We’ve worked hard for that kind of mindset in all the players who have come. We want them all ambitious to become better, and with all the staff together we can give them the tools to become better. So in that way, I believe that with whatever squad we have at the moment, we will have the ability to qualify. But everybody needs to be at their top and the more quality you have, the better your chances.”

So which teams stand in Rangers path to reach the Champions League play-off round? There are six possible options and GlasgowWorld has taken an in-depth look at the teams in question.