Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs – Scotland’s five European qualifiers

By Sports Desk June 04, 2023

Saturday’s Scottish Cup final ironed out the European qualifiers and plans for next season.

Celtic’s win over Inverness denied Caley Thistle a place in Europe and ensured Hibernian qualified through their fifth-placed finish in the cinch Premiership.

The result guaranteed group-stage football for Aberdeen and also gave Hearts a later start.

Here the PA new agency looks at Scotland’s five European qualifiers.

Celtic

Entry: Champions League group stage
Draw date: August 31
First game: September 19-20

Possible opponents: Celtic will be in pot four, meaning they cannot draw Newcastle for example. Although the seeds have not been finalised, a worst-case draw could see the Hoops facing Manchester City, Real Madrid and Milan. A kinder draw could see them come up against Benfica, RB Leipzig and Red Star Belgrade.

Prospects: Celtic will need to finish in the top three of their group to extend their European run beyond Christmas. A top-two finish would see them enter the Champions League knockout stages while third secures entry to the Europa League.

Rangers

Entry: Champions League third-qualifying round
Draw date: July 24
First game: August 8-9

Possible first opponents: Michael Beale’s side have four possible opponents in the non-champions path, including Sturm Graz and Serbians TSC Backa Topola. Other potential opponents could be Servette, Panathinaikos or Belgian or Ukrainian sides.

Prospects: Rangers will be looking to make the Champions League group stages again and will need to win two ties to do so. Defeat at either stage would see them drop into the Europa League. They are guaranteed group-stage football whatever happens with two qualifying defeats sending them into the Europa Conference League.

Aberdeen

Entry: Europa League play-offs
Draw date: August 7
First game: August 24

Possible first opponents: There are a host of variables before the Dons enter the fray but Swiss side Lugano will definitely be among their six possible opponents, while Slavia Prague and Olympiacos might also be on the list.

Prospects: The Dons will reach the Europa League group stage if they win their play-off and drop into the Conference groups if not.

Hearts

Entry: Europa Conference League third-qualifying round
Draw date: July 24
First game: August 10

Prospects: Hearts will need to win two ties to secure a second consecutive season in the Conference League group stages.

Possible first opponents: Hearts will be unseeded and earlier rounds will determine the list of seeds but AZ Alkmaar, Dinamo Kyiv, Partizan Belgrade and Rapid Vienna will be among them.

Hibernian

Entry: Europa Conference League second-qualifying round
Draw date: June 20-21
First game: July 27

Prospects: Hibs need to win three ties to make the group stages.

Possible first opponents: Hibs will be seeded and a list of 45 unseeded clubs will be split into groups nearer the draw date. UEFA normally uses a regional basis when formulating the groups so potential opponents could be Swedish sides Hammarby or Kalmar plus, depending on earlier results, Crusaders or Connah’s Quay.

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    Rangers boss Philippe Clement called on his team to show greater ruthlessness after they were made to work for a 1-0 win over Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

    Cyriel Dessers put the Gers ahead after just six minutes at Ibrox, diverting James Tavernier's effort past visiting goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

    However, Clement's team failed to build on that quick start and inched over the line amid a tense atmosphere, moving back to within nine points of pacesetters Celtic and Aberdeen.

    Speaking after the game, Clement acknowledged his players are fatigued after a gruelling run of fixtures but added they must start taking their chances.

    "We made too many wrong choices with the ball and became too sloppy," Clement said. 

     

    "It's the end of a very busy period, though, with a lot of travelling and they're all human beings, not robots.

    "We missed scoring the second goal and we know that until you get that goal the other team stays in the game, so I want us to kill the belief of the opponent faster.

     "I'm very satisfied with the result and the deserved three points. We didn't show the same quality in the second half and we didn't finish off the game. We had a few chances, but it stays nervous until the last second."

    Rangers host Dundee United after the international break, while Celtic visit Hearts and Aberdeen travel to St. Mirren.

  • Celtic show 'another side' in following up Leipzig win by beating Kilmarnock Celtic show 'another side' in following up Leipzig win by beating Kilmarnock

    Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0 on Sunday to return to the top of the Scottish Premiership table, showing "another side" to their play after stunning RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

    Brendan Rodgers' side defeated German side Leipzig 3-1 on Tuesday to put themselves in a strong position in the league phase of the Champions League, but their attentions returned to domestic action this weekend.

    And after Aberdeen eased past Dundee, Celtic knew they must win again to reclaim top spot on goal difference.

    Goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn ensured they did just that, although it was a battle for the champions.

    "They're totally different games, more fighting football [against Kilmarnock] and what you've got to contend with," Celtic boss Rodgers told Sky Sports.

    "But I thought the players were absolutely brilliant, how they had to defend the pressure. The build-up comes quite direct from behind, so they know you have to stand up to the long balls and long throws and everything else.

    "The players have shown this week they can deal with all types of games. Today was a brilliant, brilliant win for us and showed another side to us."

    They will next face Hearts on 23 November, after the international break. 

  • Celtic show 'another side' in following up Leipzig win by beating Kilmarnoc Celtic show 'another side' in following up Leipzig win by beating Kilmarnoc

    Celtic beat Kilmarnock 2-0 on Sunday to return to the top of the Scottish Premiership table, showing "another side" to their play after stunning RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

    Brendan Rodgers' side defeated German side Leipzig 3-1 on Tuesday to put themselves in a strong position in the league phase of the Champions League, but their attentions returned to domestic action this weekend.

    And after Aberdeen eased past Dundee, Celtic knew they must win again to reclaim top spot on goal difference.

    Goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn ensured they did just that, although it was a battle for the champions.

    "They're totally different games, more fighting football [against Kilmarnock] and what you've got to contend with," Celtic boss Rodgers told Sky Sports.

    "But I thought the players were absolutely brilliant, how they had to defend the pressure. The build-up comes quite direct from behind, so they know you have to stand up to the long balls and long throws and everything else.

    "The players have shown this week they can deal with all types of games. Today was a brilliant, brilliant win for us and showed another side to us."

    They will next face Hearts on 23 November, after the international break. 

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