Scandinavian draw suits McCoist

Published on Friday 15 July 2011 20:04

Rangers manager Ally McCoist was satisfied with the draw for the Champions League after securing a trip to Scandinavia rather than eastern Europe.

Rangers are likely to face Swedish side Malmo, who hold a 2-0 advantage against Faroe Islands champions Torshavn, in the third qualifying round.

In the Europa League, Hearts will face Tromso of Norway or Paksi of Hungary in the third qualifying round, with the first leg away from home on 28 July.

Dundee United will also be away in the first leg if they make the third qualifying round. They will face Metalurg Skopje of Macedonia or Bulgaria's Lokomotiv Sofia if they can overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to Polish side Slask Wroclaw at Tannadice on Thursday next week. Although the 19-time Swedish champions are past finalists from the 1979 European Cup final, which ended in defeat by Nottingham Forest, McCoist was relieved.

Rangers could have faced longer and potentially more arduous trips to the likes of Georgia and Moldova and McCoist was happy with more familiar territory, where the club won 3-1 in a friendly in 2001.

Rangers will begin with a home match on 26/27 July, with the away leg taking place the following week. Rangers will receive no tickets for the away tie as their fans serve the one-match ban imposed by Uefa for discriminatory chanting.

Malmo have the advantage of being in the middle of their domestic season, although their hopes of retaining their title look slim, with Rikard Norling's side currently sitting eighth in the table, ten points behind leaders Helsingborg.

McCoist told the Rangers website: "I think it is a more than acceptable draw for us. In terms of travelling and organisation, it is far better than some of the other possibilities, like Georgia for example.

"I fully expect Malmo to get through. They have a two-goal lead from the first leg and I think it would be a major shock if they were knocked out.

"Of course they are in the middle of their season so that gives them a bit of an advantage. At the same time our lads know the importance of the tie and I feel that will be a huge factor.

"We might be a little rusty in terms of competitive games but I feel that if we play as we can we have the opportunity to qualify."

McCoist will not travel to the Faroe Islands on Tuesday because it clashes with Rangers' friendly against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, so coach Ian Durrant will go instead.

McCoist said: "He is well versed in gaining vital information on opponents. I'm sure he will go with the mindset that Malmo are going through so he can look at them thoroughly and give us his report. We have good contacts in Sweden so we will be fully versed in what they have to offer.

"(Former Rangers midfielder) Jonas Thern of course is someone we know well but we have other contacts there too. I know that the former Swedish international Daniel Andersson is back at the club as captain after many years in Italy so he is a very experienced man for them."

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies expressed concern about playing on Tromso's artificial pitch after the Europa League draw set up a potential trip to the northern tip of Norway for the Edinburgh side.

Tromso secured a 1-1 draw in Hungary last night and Jefferies anticipates a match against a team known as being the most northerly top-flight side in the world and is inside the arctic circle.

Jefferies told Hearts TV: "I don't know anything about the Hungarian team but it looks like Tromso are the favourites now because the return leg is in Norway and they have the away goal.

"It's a tough draw. They are second in the league. Norwegians are always strong and well organised and my biggest concern is that it will be on an astro pitch. So it's not the best of draws but you have to take what you get and adapt and get on with it. It's a very interesting tie and we'll look forward to it.

"If the tie is alive it could be one of those famous European nights at Tynecastle."

Champions League, third qualifying round

RANGERS v Malmo FF (Sweden) or HB Torshavn (Faroe Islands)

First leg on 26 or 27 July, second leg on 2 or 3 August

Europa League, third qualifying round

Paksi (Hungary) or Tromso (Norway) v HEARTS

Metalurg (Macedonia) or Lokomotiv Sofia (Bulgaria) v Slask Wroclaw (Poland)or DUNDEE UNITED

Ties to be played on 28 July and 4 August