The second legs of all UEFA third qualifying round ties take place this week, with three Scottish teams in action. If all three progress, we will have five Scottish teams still in Europe by the playoff round stage for only the second time in history.
This brief preview discusses:
Update for all five teams:
1st leg scores
Squad registration
Match dates
The stakes:
UEFA payment if progress
UEFA payment if eliminated
Other results to look out for
Coefficient rivals
Austria ties crucial
VIKTORIA PLZEŇ 0-3 RANGERS
Pipe and slippers time. Surely.
If progress = guaranteed an extra €4.29m.
If eliminated = drop into Europa League, minimum earnings €13m.
Would play the winners of Club Brugge 1-0 RB Salzburg in playoff round.
Squad for playoff round has to be in by this Thursday 14th August 11pm.
2 changes would then be permitted by 11pm the night before the 1st leg.
Expected date for home leg: Tuesday 19th August
Expected date for away leg: Wednesday 27th August
0.2 points on offer for win on the night on Tuesday, 0.1 for a draw
If goes to extra time - points are for the score at 120 mins.
Penalties do not count towards coefficient points.
Then, 1.6 coefficient points on offer in playoff round
(0.2 per win plus 1.2 bonus points for reaching the Champions League)
HIBERNIAN 2-0 PARTIZAN BELGRADE
Halfway there. Cannot Hibs it now. Hold the lead. Please.
If progress = guaranteed an extra €375,000.
If eliminated = out of Europe, earn €900,000.
Would play the LOSER of Legia Warsaw 1-4 AEK Larnaca in playoff round.
Squad for playoff round has to be in by this Friday 15th August 11pm.
2 changes would then be permitted by 11pm the night before the 1st leg.
Home leg: Thursday 21st August
Away leg: Thursday 28th August
0.2 points on offer for win on the night on Thursday, 0.1 for a draw
If goes to extra time - points are for the score at 120 mins.
Penalties do not count towards coefficient points.
Then, 0.4 coefficient points on offer in playoff round (0.2 per win)
DUNDEE UNITED 2-2 RAPID VIENNA
Finely balanced tie, great result to bring back to Tannadice against the Wiener Schnitzel eaters.
If progress = guaranteed an extra €375,000.
If eliminated = out of Europe, earn €900,000.
Would play the winners of FC Győr 1-2 AIK Stockholm in playoff round.
Squad for playoff round has to be in by this Friday 15th August 11pm.
2 changes would then be permitted by 11pm the night before the 1st leg.
Away leg: Thursday 21st August
Home leg: Thursday 28th August
0.2 points on offer for win on the night on Thursday, 0.1 for a draw.
If goes to extra time - points are for the score at 120 mins.
Penalties do not count towards coefficient points.
Then, 0.4 coefficient points on offer in playoff round (0.2 per win)
CELTIC (not playing in QR3)
Will play the winners of Slovan Bratislava 0-1 FC Kairat in playoff round.
Probably want to see Slovan Bratislava progress, to avoid trip to Kazakhstan.
If reach UCL = guaranteed at least €30m.
If eliminated = drop into Europa League, minimum earnings €15m.
Squad for playoff round has to be in by this Thursday 14th August 11pm.
2 changes would then be permitted by 11pm the night before the 1st leg.
Expected date for home leg: Wednesday 20th August
Expected date for away leg: Tuesday 26th August
1.6 coefficient points on offer in playoff round
(0.2 per win plus 1.2 bonus points for reaching the Champions League)
ABERDEEN (not playing in QR3)
Will play the winners of Drita 2-3 FCSB in playoff round.
If reach Europa League = guaranteed at least €5m.
If eliminated = drop into Conference League, minimum earnings €4.6m.
Squad for playoff round has to be in by this Friday 15th August 11pm.
2 changes would then be permitted by 11pm the night before the 1st leg.
Home leg: Thursday 21st August
Away leg: Thursday 28th August
0.4 coefficient points on offer in playoff round (0.2 per win)
OTHER MATCHES TO LOOK OUT FOR
When we look at other nations’ fixtures throughout the season, the premise is fairly simple - we want teams from nations around us in the rankings to lose every match. However in qualifying it’s slightly more nuanced than that. For example if it’s a Europa League playoff tie, yes we will want our rivals to lose - but actually, will they then go on to earn more coefficient points by playing in the Conference League?
Matches with the four Austrian teams are most crucial. The 5th Austrian team - Sturm Graz - were drawn to face Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League playoff round. Then follows the matches of Switzerland, three Scandinavian nations and Poland.
It’s preferable for the team in bold to lose each tie
AUSTRIA
Dundee United 2-2 Rapid Vienna.
The most crucial tie, as Austria are our biggest rivals this season.
Club Brugge (Belgium) 1-0 RB Salzburg (Austria) in Champions League.
Wolfsberger (Austria) 0-0 PAOK (Greece) in Europa League
Austria Vienna (Austria) 3-4 Banik Ostrava (Czechia) in Conference League.
SWITZERLAND
Utrecht (Netherlands) 3-1 Servette (Switzerland) in Europa League.
Celje (Slovenia) 5-0 Lugano (Switzerland) in Conference League.
Astana (Kazakhstan) 1-3 Lausanne-Sport (Switzerland) in Conference League.
SCANDINAVIA
Brøndby (Denmark) 0-3 Vikingur (Iceland) in Conference League.
Midtjylland (Denmark) 3-1 Fredrikstad (Norway) in Europa League.
Copenhagen (Denmark) 0-0 Malmö (Sweden) in Champions League.
Brann (Norway) 2-0 Hacken (Sweden) in Europa League
Although Norway are above us, we can’t catch them this season - Sweden behind us are more of a threat.
Hammarby (Sweden) 0-0 Rosenborg (Norway) in Conference League.
Gyor (Hungary) 1-2 AIK Stockholm (Sweden) in Conference League.
POLAND
Red Star (Serbia) 3-1 Lech Poznan (Poland) in Champions League.
Legia Warsaw (Poland) 1-4 AEK Larnaca (Cyprus) in Europa League.
Jagiellonia (Poland) 1-0 Silkeborg (Denmark) in Conference League:
both have a big lead over us, but more chance of catching Denmark
Maccabi Haifa (Israel) 1-0 Rakow (Poland) in Conference League
Thank you for being a paid subscriber to my work, and paying me for the time and effort that I put in.
Gavin
I'm going to be busy at work over the next few hours so drawing the winners early.
Five winners this week from 40 entrants, so as always a good chance of winning.
Apologies to those that didn't win anything, better luck next time.
Five winners, please check your inbox on this site and input the code I send you into the solidsport link for the game
Winners
"James B lofthouse"
"Derek Mcmonies"
"Fraser"
"Euan Balfour"
"Oliver Dodds"
Austria teams doing badly so important for our coefficient so it'll be a case of supporting anyone playing them.