Rangers could yet be primed for a Europa League reunion with Cedric Itten as the Champions League 3rd place drop-outs are confirmed.
European football’s elite competition rolled to an end this week before Rangers will complete their Europa League group stage campaign away to Real Betis.
But with everything to play for in Europa League Group C, Rangers are still very much in with a shout of finishing top, second or being relegated to the Europa Conference League.
It’s not an awful situation to be in and should Aris Limassol hold out against Sparta Prague, and Rangers fail to make history by defeating Real Betis, then second place beckons.
With that comes a Europa League playoff against one of the 3rd place Champions League sides and after the completion of the competition’s group stage those names involved have been decided.
Several familiar names to Ibrox fans and some big potential glamour ties lie in wait if the club are cast into a knockout tie against the Champions League drop-outs.
Group A – Galatasaray
Rangers faced Galatasaray in the Europa League playoffs back in 2020 and put in a spirited display at Ibrox to win 2-1 at Ibrox and progress.
The Turkish side finished third behind surprise knockout round outfit FC Copenhagen and group winners Bayern Munich, but above a stuttering Manchester United.
Group B – Lens
Write Ligue 1 outfit Lens off at your peril with the French side narrowly avoiding a spot in the Champions League knock-outs behind Rangers’ playoff rivals PSV Eindhoven.
Having defeated group winners Arsenal earlier in the competition, and conquered Europa League stalwarts Sevilla on matchday six, they’re certainly no mugs.
Group C – Braga
If Rangers do drop into the Europa League playoff come the end of this evening’s fixtures, then don’t bet against fate pulling Braga out of the Champions League drop-out hat.
An Ianis Hagi inspired Rangers dumped the Portuguese side in the knockout rounds of the Europa League back in 2020 before Kemar Roofe’s goal proved decisive on the road to Seville.
Finishing behind Real Madrid and Napoli was probably inevitable but finishing above Bundesliga side Union Berlin shows they’re still a threat.
Group D – Benfica
Benfica have hauled themselves into the Europa League with a stunning 3-1 away win against RB Salzburg on matchday six to finish above the Austrian outfit.
Inter and Real Sociedad proved too strong otherwise but it’ll be the famous Lisbon club who drop into Europe’s second tier competition.
Rangers faced the Portuguese side in the Europa League group stages of 2020 and came agonisingly close to a famous victory in the Estadio de Luz.
Group E – Feyenoord
Finishing above Celtic to bank a place in the Europa League, the Parkhead side got their pitch-invasion worthy Champions League victory in a dead rubber against the Dutch this week.
Whilst we’re sure the Eredivisie side were probably embarrassed to be associated with such desperate scenes, Rangers also faced them in the Europa League back in 2019.
The current Dutch champions, something tells us they probably don’t fancy a visit back to Glasgow.
Group F – AC Milan
As far as European glamour ties to, they don’t get much bigger than AC Milan. Rangers have only ever faced them once in the European Cup of 1957.
Having been pipped to Champions League progression by Borussia Dortmund and PSG, the Italians make the Europa League ahead of Newcastle United.
Group G – Young Boys
In the potential Rangers reunion you never knew you wanted, Cedric Itten might well come back to Glasgow with a point to prove on the side of BSC Young Boys.
The Swiss outfit finished above Shakhtar Donestk in Group G, but behind Manchester City and RB Leipzig, with the former Rangers striker heavily involved.
Group H – Shakhtar Donestk
European football’s nearly men for as long as we can remember, Shakhtar Donestk are always there or thereabouts in the Champions League.
Finishing third this season, Rangers probably don’t want a trip to Ukraine if they make the Europa League playoffs and – with Shakhtar having earned nine points in a group with Barcelona, Porto and Antwerp – it’s hard to blame them .
