The key thing to remember throughout qualifying is that the next-round draw takes place before the current round has been played. For this, UEFA uses the club with the higher coefficient in the draw for the next round.
For drop-down places into a lower competition, the lower coefficient is used. That can be damaging to a high-ranking side like Rangers, should they suffer an unexpected defeat. That’s because when they drop down they could inherit an unseeded spot in the lower competition, depending on who beats them.
Conversely, it can also help low-ranking Scottish teams like Motherwell, if they were to beat higher-ranked opponents. Depending on who they eliminate, they may then inherit a seeded place for the next round.
The first qualifying round of UEFA club competition has not even been played yet, never mind the second qualifying round, which will involve three Scottish sides. But we can already plan for the third-round draw, which takes place on Monday 20 July, a few days before the first legs of the second round.
Celtic are the only Scottish side who will not be involved in the third-round draw, as they enter in the play-off round as a seeded team. That’s not to say they have no interest in it though, as some underdogs progressing in the earlier rounds could still help Celtic, by changing the seeding line and potentially giving them a more favourable play-off tie. We already know some of the Hoops’ potential opponents, although the final seeding line and the teams involved are subject to the next few weeks of qualifiers.
Like Celtic, AEK Athens, LASK and Viking all enter in the play-off round, so they will definitely be in the draw. However, which teams progress from rounds 1 and 2 will determine which other teams make it into the play-off round draw.
As it stands, based on coefficient, this will be the winners of the ties involving Celje of Slovenia and Omonia Nicosia of Cyprus. If there are upsets in the earlier rounds, then these teams will differ, and the seeding line may also change. For example, if a higher-ranked team is eliminated in the earlier rounds, AEK Athens may move from the unseeded side to the seeded side of the draw, and would no longer be a possible opponent for Celtic. This graphic will be updated for Celtic after the second round has taken place, and before the draw on Monday 3 August.
The Third Round Draws
For all potential opponents listed for the Europa League and Conference League below, not all teams are locked into their respective halves of the draw. These will be set after the second legs are completed in QR1.
If there is an upset in QR1, then the seedings could change slightly. For example, the winner of the Europa League tie involving Maccabi Tel Aviv could end up being a seeded team, and therefore it would be Hearts, rather than Rangers, who may be paired with them. The graphics are all as it stands, so the winner of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s tie is shown as a potential opponent on the Rangers graphic for now.
Hearts
Last year’s runners-up enter in Champions League QR2, so they will be involved in two draws on Monday 20 July: the Champions League QR3 draw and the Europa League QR3 draw. The result of their tie against Sturm Graz decides whether they will play in the Champions League or Europa League third qualifying round.
Hearts will be in both the Champions League and Europa League draws, so in advance of the Sturm Graz tie they will know their next opponents whether they win or lose.
The Winner of Hearts Vs Sturm Graz
will play one of the following four teams:
The Loser of Hearts Vs Sturm Graz
will play one of the following six seeded slots (Rangers are excluded):
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