Europa League 2019/20 - to Gdansk, we're on our way!!

bigy

Well-Known Member
We enter in the 1st qualifying round along with the two other Scottish representatives. The draw for both the 1st and 2nd rounds is either on June 18 or 19 and:
  • 1st round ties will be played on July 11 and July 18
  • 2nd round ties on July 25 and August 1
We are confirmed as being seeded in both the first and second qualifying rounds.

The draw for round 3 takes place on July 22 with ties played on August 8 and August 15, with the 4th round draw on August 5 and ties played on August 22 and August 29.

If we make it that far we won't be seeded in round 3 or 4, but we could 'steal' a seeding for the 4th round by beating a seeded team in round 3 (as we did with Maribor last year).

Round 1 - July 11 & July 18

Round 1 potential opponents confirmed to date include those listed below. These will be joined by two other teams from Albania, Montenegro or Albania once the final positions in this leagues are confirmed.

  • Universitatea Craiova Rom 3.190
  • DAC Dunajska Streda Svk 3.125
  • MFK Ruzomberok Svk 3.125
  • La Fiorita *p Sma 3.000
  • B36 Torshavn Far 3.000
  • Chikhura Sachkhere Geo 3.000
  • Mura Murska Sobota Slo 3.000
  • DVSC Debrecen Hun 3.000
  • Torpedo Kutaisi Geo 2.750
  • Progrès Niederkorn *p Lux 2.750
  • Milsami Orhei Mol 2.750
  • Honvéd Budapest Hun 2.500
  • Flora Tallinn Est 2.500
  • FK Liepaja Lat 2.500
  • Cliftonville *p Nir 2.500
  • Hibernians FC Mlt 2.500
  • KR Reykjavik Isl 2.500
  • Balzan FC Mlt 2.250
  • Shamrock Rovers Irl 2.250
  • Siroki Brijeg Bos 2.250
  • Europa FC *p Gib 2.000
  • Connah's Quay Wal 1.750
  • NSI Runavik *p Far 1.750
  • Banants Yerevan Arm 1.750
  • St. Patrick's Athletic Irl 1.750
  • FK Shkupi Mac 1.600
  • Akademija Pandev Mac 1.600
  • Makedonija GjP Mac 1.600
  • Petrocub Hîncesti Mol 1.550
  • Speranta Nisporeni Mol 1.550
  • EL2 Alb 1.500
  • EL3 Alb 1.500
  • KuPS Kuopio Fin 1.455
  • RoPS Rovaniemi Fin 1.455
  • Inter Turku Fin 1.455
  • Breidablik Isl 1.450
  • Stumbras Kaunas Lit 1.350
  • KI Klaksvik *p Far 1.250
  • FC Prishtina *p Kos 1.250
  • RFS Riga Lat 1.125
  • EL12 Lux 1.100
  • Lori Vanadzor Arm 1.050
  • Gzira United Mlt 1.025
  • Trans Narva Est 1.000
  • Zeta Golubovci Mon 0.825
  • EL3 Mon 0.825 - 3.000
  • Last spot either Levadia Tallinn (3.250) or Albanian Cup Winners

Round 2 - July 25 and August 1

Assuming we're seeded in the 2nd round, potential opponents include:

  • Kairat Almaty * Kaz 5.000
  • AEL Limassol Cyp 4.985
  • Alashkert FC * Arm 4.500
  • Radnicki Nis * Srb 4.450
  • Cukaricki Belgrade * Srb 4.450
  • Shakhtior Saligorsk * Bls 4.375
  • FC Vitebsk * Bls 4.375
  • NK Domzale * Slo 4.250
  • Crusaders Belfast * Nir 4.250
  • FK Ventspils * Lat 4.250
  • Stjarnan FC * Isl 4.250
  • CW Swe 4.180
  • IFK Norrköping * Swe 4.180
  • FK Haugesund * Nor 4.040
  • SK Brann Bergen * Nor 4.040
  • Viitorul Constanta Rom 4.000
  • FC Vaduz * Lie 4.000
  • CS Fola Esch * Lux 4.000
  • Tobol Kustanai * Kaz 3.850
  • Ordabasy Shymkent * Kaz 3.850
  • Cracovia Kraków * Pol 3.850
  • Lechia Gdansk Pol 3.850
  • Neftchi Baku * Azb 3.800
  • Sabail FK * Azb 3.800
  • Olimpija Ljubljana * Slo 3.750
  • Cork City * Irl 3.750
  • Dinamo Tbilisi * Geo 3.750
  • Maccabi Haifa * Isr 3.725
  • CSKA Sofia * Bul 3.500
  • Zeljeznicar Sarajevo * Bos 3.500
  • Lokomotiv Plovdiv Bul 3.500
  • EL3 * Bul 3.500
  • FK Trakai * Lit 3.250
  • Buducnost Podgorica * Mon 3.250
  • Forecast to be Albanian Cup Winners or Universitatea Craiova Rom 3.190

Round 3 - August 8 and 15

Once you get to round 3 all the 'big' countries start coming in to the equation so really goes down to luck of the draw. Potential opponents here are below - at this stage drawing anyone from AEK Athens up would give us the opportunity to 'steal' their seeding in round 4, although it's likely that will change depending on Champions League drop outs.
  • AS Roma ** Ita 81.000
  • Sporting Braga Por 31.000
  • Legia Warsaw * Pol 24.500
  • Eintracht Frankfurt ** Ger 24.000
  • FCSB * Rom 23.000
  • Feyenoord Ned 22.000
  • Espanyol ** Esp 20.713
  • Malmö FF * Swe 20.000
  • Partizan Belgrade ** Srb 18.000
  • Standard Liège Bel 17.500
  • Wolverhampton Wanderers**Eng 17.092
  • Spartak Moscow Rus 16.000
  • AEK Athens Gre 14.000
  • FC Midtjylland Den 14.000
  • Molde FK * Nor 13.500
  • NK Rijeka Cro 13.500
  • Apollon Limassol * Cyp 12.000
  • Hapoel Beer-Sheva * Isr 12.000
  • RC Strasbourg ** Fra 11.699
  • Zorya Luhansk (**) Ukr 11.500
  • AZ Alkmaar ** Ned 10.500
  • Arsenal Tula ** Rus 10.109
  • Four additional seeds will come from Basel, Olympiakos, PSV, Viktoria Plzen, Vitoria Guimares, Vidi or Rapid Vienna.
 
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I can't see us being as lucky in the draws as we were last year. Couldn't have fallen any better for us really.
 
We are likely to get a tougher draw this year, but then a number of the top leagues representatives go straight to the group stage now. If we were to come up against a Valencia, Seville, Manchester Utd, etc we'd obviously be up against it - but there are also teams in the draw that we'd be capable of competing with and beating on our day.
 
2018-19

1st seeded
2nd unseeded
3rd unseeded taking Osijek who also unseeded
4th 'seeded' taking Maribor

2019-20

1st seeded
2nd seeded?
3rd unseeded
4th will depend on how high the 3rd round seeded team coefficient is
 
We were very lucky this season with the draws. However we can get away with a little bit less luck next season, just not too much less!
 
I don’t see us being able to get there two years on the bounce:

It’s a mammoth effort, with some luck along the way.
 
Given the above we should make 3rd round. If we get a beatable seeded team then group stage is achievable again. Only needs one small stroke of luck for that. And we are much better than a year ago
 
I don’t see us being able to get there two years on the bounce:

It’s a mammoth effort, with some luck along the way.
I'll be honest - I will be pleasantly surprised if we make it to the group stages again.

Hope I'm so f.ucking wrong - but it'll be tough, especially if/when we get to round 3/4 .
 
It’s going to be a big ask getting to the group stages again. We were fortunate the way the draw fell for us last year. Can’t wait for the draw though, hopefully a nice wee trip somewhere sunny for a few days, you can’t beat a few days away with the Teds.
 
It’s going to be a big ask getting to the group stages again. We were fortunate the way the draw fell for us last year. Can’t wait for the draw though, hopefully a nice wee trip somewhere sunny for a few days, you can’t beat a few days away with the Teds.
Don't see why we should not be confident .... We won every head to head in our group this year against teams of a similar standard to what we will get in round 4 ..... bring it on !!!
 
So preferred ties based on the current list - An away day to Wales, they'll need to move it to Cardiff or Swansea stadiums!
Or away to Southern Ireland and we can show the paedophile harbouring cowards how to take a support into enemy territory
Or...somewhere hot & On the Ryanair/easyJet/ Jet2 flight routes!!!
Summer holidays on hold until the draw happens any road
It's usually the first 2 rounds made simultaneously is it not?
 
Do we think the likes of the team from Gibraltar or even the Irish or Welsh teams will play at their home grounds? When Scotland played away to Gibraltar the match was moved to Portugal. If we were to draw say Cliftonville, I think away fans would be banned.
 
It’s going to be a big ask getting to the group stages again. We were fortunate the way the draw fell for us last year. Can’t wait for the draw though, hopefully a nice wee trip somewhere sunny for a few days, you can’t beat a few days away with the Teds.
Could have been tougher but CL regulars Maribor and Russian Ufa (who finished 6th iirc) is hardly being kind!
 
We’re on our way!
We’re on our way!
To Gdańsk we’re on our way!

Gdańsk needs a U at the end of it for that to work eh? :))
 
So preferred ties based on the current list - An away day to Wales, they'll need to move it to Cardiff or Swansea stadiums!
Or away to Southern Ireland and we can show the paedophile harbouring cowards how to take a support into enemy territory
Or...somewhere hot & On the Ryanair/easyJet/ Jet2 flight routes!!!
Summer holidays on hold until the draw happens any road
It's usually the first 2 rounds made simultaneously is it not?

Yes QR1 and QR2 draws are held on the same day
 
I am somewhat conflicted, we should easily get through the first two rounds with a couple of full houses at Ibrox and then it's down to the luck of the draw... would going out at that stage, to a European heavyweight offer us the best possible chance at 55 or is it simply a case that the money from Europa League football is absolutely essential, as we can see from this season. I have probably answered my own question...
 
The only team I see their that could bother us is SK Brann it's the 3rd and 4th rounds that are the tough draws but i have no doubt that this squad is capable
Brann are absolutely shit, we will have no problems if we get them.

But Gdansk would be magic. Not just because we would be in the final, it is an absolutely stunning city. Been there a few times in the last couple of years, it has been massively re-generated, cheap as chips and caters for every whim. Fantastic place to spend 3 or 4 days :))
 
Do we think the likes of the team from Gibraltar or even the Irish or Welsh teams will play at their home grounds? When Scotland played away to Gibraltar the match was moved to Portugal. If we were to draw say Cliftonville, I think away fans would be banned.

The Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar is now open again after some redevelopment to make upto current UEFA regulations so any game will be played there before that they were playing in Faro

Any Welsh or Irish sides (both sides) it will be down to security why it can't get played on their own ground however I can us put into group to avoid the Irish sides - Derry City were the only side in either QR1 or QR2 that we could faced , there were in the QR2 group
 
Gdansk is a really nice city. Will be a great host.

Stadium was built for Euro 2012.
 
We are on a far better position to get to the groups than we were last year in terms of squad and management style of play. I’m hopeful we can do it again.
 
Realistically we should get past the first two rounds with relative ease. As others have said, it then becomes the luck of the draw but I'd still fancy our chances after seeing the way we competed with Villarreal, Vienna & Spartak.
 
I have my apartment book in Gdansk already for this, said since it was announced there I'd get to this one regardless of the finalists.
 
I think we’ll get into the group stages without any fuss.

We have a settled squad, we will add a few quality players also.

You’ve got to remember your so called bigger teams in round 3 and round 4, won’t have played any competitive matches prior to playing us.

If we’re fully up to speed with a sell out crowd at Ibrox we can take any team on our day.

There’s no no point in stressing out about European football anyway, just enjoy it being back at Rangers
 
I can't see us being as lucky in the draws as we were last year. Couldn't have fallen any better for us really.

I don't think we were lucky at all last year.

A Macedonian side in July in sweltering heat in round 1, a decent enough Croatian side in round 2. Maribor a team with CL experience in R3 and then a 10,000 circa miles round trip to a side from Russia?

All the while where we were settling in a new management team, new players and a turnaround of over 20 players?
 
I don't think we were lucky at all last year.

A Macedonian side in July in sweltering heat in round 1, a decent enough Croatian side in round 2. Maribor a team with CL experience in R3 and then a 10,000 circa miles round trip to a side from Russia?

All the while where we were settling in a new management team, new players and a turnaround of over 20 players?
The lucky part is without a doubt getting a beatable seeded team in round 3 when you're not seeded. It means you're seeded for round 4.
 
Gdansk is a really nice city. Will be a great host.

Stadium was built for Euro 2012.

Went there for a weekend break couple of years back. Really friendly city and a superb stadium. Took in Lechsia Gdansk v Lech Poznan (0-1) on the Sunday. Great atmosphere generated under the single roof even with only about 15,000 in attendance.
Only snag being that Lechsia play in a horrible Grey and Green hooped shirt !
 
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