How Man Utd win could affect Rangers' 2025/26 European hopes

Indeed, should Athletic be knocked out of this season's Europa League, which, barring a miraculous comeback at Old Trafford next week, looks likely, it means the Ibrox club will enter next season's Champions League via the League Path, and start at the second round of qualifiers, where they could play the likes of Servette, Brann or Austria Vienna.
If Athletic won the competition and finished in a Champions League place in La Liga, though, due to Rangers' coefficient ranking, they would be bumped up to the Champions Path of UCL qualification and enter at the third round.
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That seems almost entirely out of the picture now, though, given this evening's first leg result. It would take something special for Athletic to recover in Manchester next Thursday and overturn a three-goal deficit.
Rangers welcome Celtic to Govan this weekend in their third-last home game of the season.
Barry Ferguson has yet to win at Ibrox in 90 minutes, although he will look to put that right on Sunday.
He led his team to an emphatic victory the last time they faced Celtic, as goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mohamed Diomande, and Hamza Igamane secured a memorable 3-2 win at Parkhead.
Brendan Rodgers' men haven't beaten Rangers in their last two attempts as they prepare to make the trip across the city.

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