Rangers, Hibs & Dundee United Set to Learn European Foes

Anticipation Builds for Draws

Russell Martin is preparing for a challenging first European task as the new head coach of Rangers. On Wednesday, he will learn whether his team will face Brann, Panathinaikos, or Servette in the Champions League second qualifying round. Hibernian and Dundee United will also uncover their opponents in their respective Europa League and Conference League contests.

Scottish champions Celtic and Scottish Cup winners Aberdeen will not be competing at this stage. Instead, Celtic will be seeded in the Champions League play-off draw set for August 4, while Aberdeen enters the Europa League unseeded.

So, what are the prospects for Rangers, Hibs, and United as they approach Wednesday’s draws?

Rangers Poised for Lower-Ranked Opposition

Martin has significant expectations to meet, especially following last season’s UEFA Europa League quarter-final appearance under interim coach Barry Ferguson. The new coach aims to build upon the previous season’s campaign, which stumbled after a Champions League qualifying loss to Dynamo Kyiv.

Both Rangers and their Scottish counterparts—Hibs and United—must navigate three qualifying rounds this year to reach the lucrative group stage of the Champions League. Being seeded in the draw gives them a chance to commence their campaign against a team that also finished second in their league.

On paper, Panathinaikos represents the highest challenge, currently sitting 111th in UEFA’s club rankings—86 spots behind Rangers, while Servette ranks 139th, and Brann at 189th.

Historically, Panathinaikos has never suffered a defeat to Scottish teams within regulation time over four encounters, achieving four wins in seven matches against clubs like Motherwell and Aberdeen. Nonetheless, Rangers managed to eliminate them during their last meeting.

Panathinaikos’ recent European journey has seen them struggle, with their last direct Champions League appearance dating back to 2010-11. Last season, they started in Europa League qualification, but after defeating Botev Plovdiv (who later lost to Ajax), they dropped into the Conference League.

Meanwhile, Servette’s highest mark in the Champions League was reaching the third qualifying round, where they previously lost to Rangers. Last season, they faced Chelsea in the Conference League and were eliminated after a competitive run.

Brann’s European history is also modest, with a single qualification for group-stage football in 2007. They progressed through the qualifying rounds last season, eventually bowing out to Astana.

Rangers will kick off their quest on July 22/23 and July 29/30. Victory means advancing to the Champions League third qualifying draw on July 21, while a loss conveys entry into the Europa League.

Hibs Face Challenging Potential Rivals

Hibernian’s third-place finish has rekindled their European aspirations, a journey that started in the 1970s with multiple semi-final appearances but has been inconsistent recently. This time, under David Gray, they find themselves unseeded with six potential adversaries in the upcoming draw.

Among these are Belgium’s Anderlecht and Denmark’s Midtjylland, as well as teams emerging from ties involving Shakhtar Donetsk and Ilves Tampere, or Sheriff Tiraspol against Prishtina.

Anderlecht, finishing fourth in their league, reached the knockout phase this past season, while Midtjylland, who placed second, found no success in their league despite their early exit from Europe.

Hibs themselves have struggled to progress to group stages in their European ventures, narrowly missing out two years ago when they were comprehensively defeated by Aston Villa in a play-off round.

In case of a defeat, they could still aim for the third qualifying round of the Conference League, providing a potential silver lining.

Dundee United Could Meet British Rivals

The memories of Dundee United’s past successes in European competitions are fading, but the club is keen on making a mark once again after a two-year hiatus, having finished fourth in the Premiership.

Having faced a heavy defeat the last time they participated in Europa League qualifying, the team will be relieved that they have avoided facing AZ Alkmaar, as both are seeded and cannot cross paths this early.

Jim Goodwin’s side has faced a split in possible opponents, now narrowed down to those they could face in Group 1. Among them are Welsh club Haverfordwest County and Northern Ireland’s Cliftonville, alongside teams from Croatia, Luxembourg, and Malta.

The matchups will become clearer after the draws on Wednesday, offering both hope and anticipation for their European journey.