Rangers make their debut in the new Europa League format this week as they face an away trip to Swedish giants Malmo.
Group stage football has been wiped from UEFA competitions and has been replaced with a new league phase system that sees 36 teams battle it out to qualify for the knockout stages.
The draw for Rangers was made at the end of August and Philippe Clement believes some Champions League teams have easier fixtures this season than his side’s European games.
Rangers fans share a similar line of thinking but they’ll be relishing – some of them at least – the chance to face two Premier League sides and a pair of impressive French outfits among others.
Rangers Europa League fixtures
Here’s who Rangers play in the Europa League league phase over the next four months after UEFA confirmed the schedule not too long after the draw:
- Malmo vs Rangers – September 26
- Rangers vs Lyon – October 3
- Rangers vs FCSB – October 24
- Olympiacos vs Rangers – November 7
- Nice vs Rangers – November 28
- Rangers vs Tottenham Hotspur – December 12
- Manchester United vs Rangers – January 23
- Rangers vs Union Saint-Gilloise – January 30
Rangers fixtures after Europa League games
So we know the Europa League calendar until January. But who do Rangers play in the games after each European fixture?
Are there any tough domestic fixtures that follow? Is there a lot of travel involved within the space of just a few days? Rangers News had a look.
All games are in the Scottish Premiership except stated otherwise:
- Weekend after Malmo (A) – Rangers vs Hibernian
- Weekend after Lyon (H) – Rangers vs St Johnstone
- Weekend after FCSB (H) – Rangers vs St Mirren
- Weekend after Olympiacos (A) – Rangers vs Hearts
- Weekend after Nice (A) – St Johnstone vs Rangers
- Weekend after Tottenham Hotspur (H) – Rangers vs Aberdeen
- Weekend after Manchester United (A) – Dundee United vs Rangers
- Weekend after Union Saint-Gilloise (H) – Rangers vs Ross County
Well, it’s safe to say the fixture computer has been very kind to Rangers.
As evidenced, Philippe Clement’s side face just TWO domestic away games after the eight Europa League league phase clashes scheduled until January.
And one is against a promoted side in Dundee United who Rangers have only recently just toppled, while the other is St Johnstone who are currently manager-less and one of the favourites to be relegated this season.
Every other game is at Ibrox and that’s great news for the club. It means more time on the training pitch and less time on the coach to away games in Scotland.
