The £30m extra incentive for Rangers ahead of crunch Euro clash

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As if Rangers needed any more incentive ahead of their Europa League clash with Lech Poznan, there’s a £30m carrot dangling in front of their Euro campaign.

Rangers are leading the charge for Scotland’s coefficient with Celtic toiling on the continental stage as Scotland looks to secure an automatic Champions League spot for 22/23.

Scotland is in direct competition with Ukraine for the fabled 11^th placed spot which pretty much guarantees an automatic place for the domestic championship winners of the country.

That is because a space is reserved for the winners of the Champions League and Europa League respectively, competitions which are regularly won by clubs who finish in positions which offer an automatic place in their home countries.

But Scotland’s Champions League charge is being hampered by the success of Ukrainian sides this season as Dynamo Kyiv beat Hungarians Ferencvaros 1-0 to win points for the nation.

That victory means Ukraine have leapfrogged Scotland into 11^th place with it surely falling on Rangers shoulders to salvage the position [UEFA].

That result also secures Dynamo’s place in the Europa League as they finish third in the Champions League Group G, which means they have more games to come.

Ukrainian rivals Shakhtar Donetsk are also in action against Inter Milan in Italy and need to match or better Real Madrid’s result to earn a place in the Champions League last 16.

They are guaranteed a spot in the Europa League so will have more games after Christmas, whilst Zorya Luhansk have one final game in the competition to come.

Ukraine’s final competitor in European competition this season are out of the competition already but have a game to go against Braga in Portugal this week.

It falls on Rangers to fly the saltire on the European stage with Celtic surely up against it as they welcome French side Lille to Parkhead.

With an automatic £30m attached to Champions League qualification [Scotsman], it’s down to Rangers to guarantee it with the Parkhead club already out of Europe this season.

If Rangers didn’t need any more incentive than this – the club will take their earnings for this season’s competition to beyond £7m if they can win in Poland.