Bilbao Eliminated From Europa League!

Rangers are now guaranteed to enter in Champions League Qualification Round Two

WHAT THIS MEANS

As I explained in previous posts and videos, Rangers were hoping for Athletic Bilbao to both win the Europa League and finish in the top 4 in La Liga.

This would have resulted in Rangers receiving a bye from Champions League QR2 - and instead entering in QR3. It also means they would have been seeded for every Champions League round, but as it stands they would now be unseeded in the playoff round. However if either Benfica or Club Brugge are not in qualifiers, then Rangers would be seeded in all three Champions League rounds.

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WHY IT’S BAD

This is a substantial advantage for Rangers to miss out on because if Rangers started in Champions League QR3, even if they lose they drop straight into the Europa League phase - with no qualifiers.

Starting in QR2 - as they are now guaranteed to - means it is now possible for Rangers to face total European elimination by August. This is because if they lose in UCL QR2, they drop to Europa League QR3. If they then lose that tie, they drop to Conference League Playoff round - and a third loss would mean total elimination from Europe. For the coefficient this would be disastrous and for Rangers it would be financially catastrophic - nearly a quarter of their revenue comes from European football.

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THE FLOW CHART GRAPHICS

Below are the updated graphics for Rangers qualification route, showing the “easiest” and “hardest” routes through qualification - as all the leagues currently stand.

Similar graphics will be posted for all five of our teams over the coming weeks, but the latest posts for the other four teams can be found here, with the Celtic qualification route video available here.

1.) The detailed graphic showing possible opponents at each round, what happens if they lose at each stage, and the varying estimated prize money on offer for each competition: