Marseille, Monaco or Rennes - Possible CL Q3 opponents

[ElColombiano]

They are still listed but who knows what’s going to happen there.

Kyiv have been playing lots of friendlies, despite the league being shut down. Right now, you’d expect them to play but obviously who knows what the war situation will be in Ukraine by the time the qualifiers come around

 

[The People]

Benfica are pretty good to be fair.

Of course they are mate ,no doubt about that

but I thought it was teams from that list we could draw ,I didn't see Portugal on there

 

[Eastern province bear]

History suggests the critical factor in whether Rangers can qualify for the CL group stage is not the calibre of the opposition, but Rangers’ own preparedness.

The coaching team will be settled. But which players will have left, and who will have joined? And how good a pre-season will the new squad have had, and how many full pace games will they have played?

A sensible post

 

[GOLEADOR]

Of course they are mate ,no doubt about that

but I thought it was teams from that list we could draw ,I didn't see Portugal on there

Yeah impossible for us to draw Benfica, seeded in QR3 & Play off round just like us ( if we make it )

 

[rangeral]

Given the draw for Q3nc is made before Q2nc is completed does that mean that if Kiev fail to take part, or are knocked out by Fenerbahce or the Cypriot team, then the latter take Kiev's place as seeds in Q3nc? I think that's how it would work.

Say Dynamo Kiev/Fenerbahce for the QR3 draw

Fenerbache would in the 'seeded' part of the draw

If Dynamo Kiev fail to take part before the draw then they should rebalance the draw if draw is already done then what you say is correct

 

[Ted Rangers]

Of course they are mate ,no doubt about that

but I thought it was teams from that list we could draw ,I didn't see Portugal on there

Yeah, luckily we can't get them.

Benfica have a really high club ranking, and will be top seeds in the qualifying.

 

[Sword & Shield]

Playing just now.

Whoever ends up third in Ligue 1 joins us. If it’s Marseille, they will be seeded alongside us. Any of the other two would be unseeded and possible opponents. Any preference ?

Marsielle to avoid French opposition

 

[Valley Bluenose]

Of course they are mate ,no doubt about that

but I thought it was teams from that list we could draw ,I didn't see Portugal on there

My understanding is that our opponents will be Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium), Sturm Graz (Austria), Monaco (France) or the winner of Midtjylland (Denmark) versus Fenerbahce (Turkey)/Cypriot team yet to be decided depending on which they draw in Q2nc.

 

[Kingging]

History suggests the critical factor in whether Rangers can qualify for the CL group stage is not the calibre of the opposition, but Rangers’ own preparedness.

The coaching team will be settled. But which players will have left, and who will have joined? And how good a pre-season will the new squad have had, and how many full pace games will they have played?

Fair point but the transfer window is open until the end of August and much of the existing squad will still be Rangers players during the qualifiers

 

[academical]

Fair point but the transfer window is open until the end of August and much of the existing squad will still be Rangers players during the qualifiers

A good thing or a bad thing?

 

[bloodandfire]

So where are Kiev likely to play their home ties?
Moldova, Slovenia, Turkey or Poland even?

 

[rangeral]

So where are Kiev likely to play their home ties?
Moldova, Slovenia, Turkey or Poland even?

The Ukraine national team both men's and women's are using Poland for their home games next month

 

[bloodandfire]

A good thing or a bad thing?

Good think I reckon. The existing squad will have a point to prove and know each other's game inside out.

 

[The People]

My understanding is that our opponents will be Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium), Sturm Graz (Austria), Monaco (France) or the winner of Midtjylland (Denmark) versus Fenerbahce (Turkey)/Cypriot team yet to be decided depending on which they draw in Q2nc.

Cheers mate

All of those are tricky but well doable

 

[Ted Rangers]

Good think I reckon. The existing squad will have a point to prove and know each other's game inside out.

I hope most of the players who will be leaving will be away by the start of August.
We need to get the changes done, and prepare for another massive season.

 

[Valley Bluenose]

Cheers mate

All of those are tricky but well doable

Then there's the Play-Off Round afterwards - but lets not go there just yet ha ha.

 

[magnus]

I'd be extremely confident of beating Copenhagen, Monaco or Rennes

I’d prefer to have an idea of the players we have before I make confident statements

 

[The People]

Then there's the Play-Off Round afterwards - but lets not go there just yet ha ha.

Agree ,a round a time mate

 

[Kingging]

A good thing or a bad thing?

Given there are likely to be bids for the likes of Aribo, Bassey, Morelos, Kent in August, it's probably a good thing we are likely to still have them for the qualifiers. Obviously a bad thing that we will be without the services of some thereafter

 

[GOLEADOR]

Cypriot league just finished earlier, AEK Larnaca confirmed as runners up.

Confirmed teams we can face in QR3;

Monaco
Winner of tie involving Midtjylland vs Fenerbahce or AEK Larnaca (draw made on 15th June)
Sturm Graz
Union Saint-Gilloise

 

[Bluebeard]

Cypriot league just finished earlier, AEK Larnaca confirmed as runners up.

Confirmed teams we can face in QR3;

Monaco
Winner of tie involving Midtjylland vs Fenerbahce or AEK Larnaca (draw made on 15th June)
Sturm Graz
Union Saint-Gilloise

Avoid Monaco and AEK if possible

 

[YorkshireBlue]

The only team I'd be worried about over two legs is Benfica, and we can't draw them.

With a solid pre season and a good transfer window, we should be taking care of this.

 

[Ricksey]

What sort of teams would be in playoff round?

 

[Bigbluebear]

What sort of teams would be in playoff round?

Assuming the 3rd round seeded sides all qualify for it then PSV or Dinamo Kiev

If not then one of the other teams already mentioned above as opponents in round 3

 

[Bluebeard]

Assuming the 3rd round seeded sides all qualify for it then PSV or Dinamo Kiev

I’d rather Kiev

 

[Coplandbear]

The only team I'd be worried about over two legs is Benfica, and we can't draw them.

With a solid pre season and a good transfer window, we should be taking care of this.

Never an easy game in Europe but we have to be better prepared and focused than last summer our pre season and transfer business overall was woeful.

Earlier preparation is key and getting our transfer business done as quickly as possible.

 

[SuperGers07]

I'd be extremely confident of beating Copenhagen, Monaco or Rennes

Our squad is going to be vastly different within a matter of weeks. Take %^*& all for granted

 

[Mac72]

History suggests the critical factor in whether Rangers can qualify for the CL group stage is not the calibre of the opposition, but Rangers’ own preparedness.

The coaching team will be settled. But which players will have left, and who will have joined? And how good a pre-season will the new squad have had, and how many full pace games will they have played?

Last season showed how key a good preseason is. We had an absolute mess of a preseason due to the euros, cooa America and just all round poor planning. Come that malmo game we were lucky if we were half fit.

Everything you say is spot on. If Rangers can get everyone back day 1 of preseason, get friendlies sorted so we have a proper run against decent opponents and the key 1 is obviously selling and buying the players as quickly as possible so the team is up an running for that first qualifier.

What Rangers can't do is barely invest in new players and keep players who are wanting to leave, until the qualifiers are over. In the hope they see us through to the champions league, before selling and buying players.

Celtic did this for years and it very rarely worked and cost them millions in champions league money. We can't afford to repeat their failure, when Celtic are guaranteed that money now. What was it 4 years of nit making it by waiting until qualifiers to strengthen.

 

[theweeman]

Avoid Monaco and AEK if possible

It's not AEK Athens.
Avoid Monaco and the Belgians (who have been quality this season). I'd take any others.

 

[Bigbluebear]

Never an easy game in Europe but we have to be better prepared and focused than last summer our pre season and transfer business overall was woeful.

Earlier preparation is key and getting our transfer business done as quickly as possible.

I'd hope that the squad learnt their lesson and come back prepared this time.

Also no international tournaments to disrup things this summer

 

[Bigbluebear]

It's not AEK Athens.
Avoid Monaco and the Belgians (who have been quality this season). I'd take any others.

The Belgians will be a shadow of the team by the time these games come round

 

[Coplandbear]

I'd hope that the squad learnt their lesson and come back prepared this time.

Also no international tournaments to disrup things this summer

The pre season plans and budget should be well in place in the coming weeks especially with who GVB will want to move on.

I just hope we have the players lined up and the funds to overhaul and improve the squad.

 

[Bluebeard]

It's not AEK Athens.
Avoid Monaco and the Belgians (who have been quality this season). I'd take any others.

Which AEK is it?

 

[rangeral]

Which AEK is it?

AEK Larnaca from Cyprus

 

[academical]

Which AEK is it?

Larnaca. Cypriots.

 

[jaws73]

Which AEK is it?

Larnaca (Cypriots, not Greeks)

 

[KensingtonBlue]

Malmo was a freak

Scandinavian sides are never anything to fear

Give us anyone, we’ll sail through these qualifiers. We’ve beaten far better teams recently

 

[Bigbluebear]

The pre season plans and budget should be well in place in the coming weeks especially with who GVB will want to move on.

I just hope we have the players lined up and the funds to overhaul and improve the squad.

We couldn't get a training camp last year either thanks to sturgeon being a twat.

Should be much better prepared

Plus we have a manager who wants to be here and is just getting started

 

[JeffreySpauIding]

If we qualify and Benfica don't then we are pot 3.

 

[glasgowiron]

We've always done well against the Danes and had disasters with the Swedes

Rangers have never beaten a Swedish team in a competitive game,

Rangers have never lost a competitive game to a team from Denmark or Norway.

 

[Eighteen Seventy Two]

AEK Larnaca seems the favourable draw here.
Tiny club, tiny league.
If we can’t scud them at Ibrox something’s up.

 

[Blue Steel]

With our record over the last few years in Europe

We are the team others will want to avoid

Look at the start we had to the European campaign , from champ qualifiers to start of Europa . We were poor .

 

[GovanFront4]

Our squad is going to be vastly different within a matter of weeks. Take %^*& all for granted

Not like Rangers fans to think we will just saunter through then be raging when it's a lot more difficult.

We will have done very well if we qualify.

 

[Bluebeard]

AEK Larnaca seems the favourable draw here.
Tiny club, tiny league.
If we can’t scud them at Ibrox something’s up.

We said that about FB Kaunas

No tie in Europe can be taken lightly

 

[Sandbear]

Malmo was a freak

Scandinavian sides are never anything to fear

Give us anyone, we’ll sail through these qualifiers. We’ve beaten far better teams recently

How’s our record against Swedish teams?
Pretty crap, thankfully it’s good against Danes my only concern in the qualifying is what players we can get onto the pitch.
This year I think the preparation will be good it’s just the condition of the players , mentally as much as anything.

 

[The People]

Look at the start we had to the European campaign , from champ qualifiers to start of Europa . We were poor .

Agree mate
But a new manager with new ideas and tactics saw great improvement and hopefully he will have more prepared and ready this season

 

[Kowloon72]

I'd like to avoid Monaco, would take on the rest.

 

[Glasgow Rangers (Sco)]

I doubt any of these teams will be near the level of Frankfurt, also because they all have a history of losing their best players in the summer.

Problem is we may be weaker too by the time these games come round.

I doubt GVB will get much of a break this summer

 

[Bobby Russell's Perm]

I really don't think we should fear anyone in these qualifiers. We are a decent level European team with a proven track record, teams should be looking at us and thinking we want to avoid Rangers.

Totally agree

 

[The Crimson King]

Rangers have never beaten a Swedish team in a competitive game,

Rangers have never lost a competitive game to a team from Denmark or Norway.

What a mental stat that is