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Celtic handed possible PSV or Galatasaray Champions League test

Celtic handed possible PSV or Galatasaray Champions League test
© Reuters
Meanwhile, Glasgow rivals Celtic could face former European Cup winners.

Rangers will face Nordic opposition in their opening Champions League qualifier while Celtic could play fellow former European Cup winners if they progress.

Rangers will take on Malmo or HJK Helsinki while Celtic face a tough task against PSV Eindhoven or Galatasaray if they reach the third qualifying round. The losers of the PSV-Galatasaray tie will take on St Johnstone in the Europa League.

Steven Gerrard's seeded side were drawn out of the pot second and face a trip to Sweden or Finland for the first leg on August 3-4.

Malmo will host Helsinki – the former club of Gers striker Alfredo Morelos – in the first leg of the second qualifying round on Wednesday.

Rangers v Malmo
Rangers' Madjid Bougherra in action against Malmo in 2011 (Lynne Cameron/PA)

Malmo knocked Ally McCoist's Rangers out of the Champions League qualifiers in 2011 less than a year before the Ibrox club went into liquidation.

The Swedes last reached the Champions League group stages six years ago, after beating Celtic in the play-offs. They also defeated Hibernian in the Europa League in 2013, knocking seven past Pat Fenlon's side at Easter Road.

Helsinki have only played group stage football twice and their only experience of the Champions League proper came in the last century.

The Hoops are also due to be away for the first leg, if they can get past Midtjylland. Ange Postecoglou kicks off his Celtic reign against the Danish side at Parkhead on Tuesday.

PSV, the 1988 European Cup winners, have made the Champions League group stages three times in the past seven years. They reached the last 32 of the Europa League last term.

Rangers v Galatasaray
Galatasaray lost at Ibrox last year (Ian MacNicol/PA)

Galatasaray lost 2-1 to Rangers at Ibrox in a one-legged Europa League play-off last season, but were twice in the Champions League group stages in the previous three campaigns.

Celtic will play Jablonec in the Europa League if they cannot get past Midtjylland, with the first leg in the Czech Republic.

St Johnstone will be away from home against PSV or Galatasaray in the first leg on August 5.

In the Europa Conference League, Hibernian will take on Maltese side Gzira United or Rijeka of Croatia in the third qualifying round if they get past Santa Coloma. The Croatians have twice played Aberdeen in recent seasons, with each side tasting success.

Aberdeen will meet Austria Vienna or Icelandic side Breidablik if they beat BK Hacken. The Austrians have made group stages four times in the past decade, including once in the Champions League. They are favourites to get past Breidablik, who lost home and away to Craig Brown's Motherwell in 2010.

In the champions path, Linfield will take on Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus or Fola Esch of Luxembourg if they get past Borac Banja Luka.

Shamrock Rovers will play Albanian champions Teuta or Inter Club d'Escaldes of Andorra while Connah's Quay Nomads have the prospect of facing Valur or Bodo/Glimt of Norway if they beat Prishtina.

Larne will face Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira if they spring a surprise against Aarhus, The New Saints will take on Viktoria Plzen or Dynamo Brest if they beat Kauno Zalgiris, and Dundalk will take on Vitesse if they can get past Levadia Tallinn.

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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard pictured on May 2, 2021
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Rangers drawn against Malmo or HJK Helsinki in Champions League qualifier
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rhs 2.0
Today's games header
5.30pm
Auger-Aliassime
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic220085275884
2RangersRangers220078255381
3Hearts20114637963
4Kilmarnock20114438652
5St Mirren21014246-446
6Dundee20024659-1341
Relegation Group
1Hibernian21014854-642
2Aberdeen22003749-1241
3Motherwell21015053-340
4Ross County21013459-2533
5St Johnstone20022550-2531
RLivingston21012563-3821
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


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