Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibs, Rangers, and St Johnstone learn European opposition

Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibs, Rangers, and St Johnstone have all learned their next potential European opposition following Monday’s draws in Nyon at UEFA headquarters.
Five Scottish clubs remain in European contentionFive Scottish clubs remain in European contention
Five Scottish clubs remain in European contention

In the Champions League, Rangers will face either Olympiacos of Greece or Bulgarians Ludogorets in the play-offs provided they can see off Swedish Allsvenskan side Malmö FF.

The Ibrox side get their qualifying under way in Skåne län on Tuesday. The Gers and Malmö were unseeded for the play-off draw and whichever side progresses will be at home first in the play-offs, scheduled to be played on August 17/18.

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Olympiacos are favourites to get past the Huvepharma Arena side as they look to reach the Champions League group stage for a fourth time in five years.

The Greeks lost to Arsenal in the last 16 of the Europa League last season as the Gunners exacted revenge for being knocked out of the same competition by Olympiacos the previous year.

Ludogorets reached the group stages of the Europa League last term and finished bottom, and the Razgrad side tasted Champions League group football in the 2014/15 and 2016/17 competitions.

If Malmö knock Steven Gerrard’s side out of Europe’s premier club competition, Rangers face the prospect of a gruelling journey to face Alashkert of Armenia, or three-time Kazakhstan Premier League winners Kairat Almaty.

Celtic, meanwhile, could be handed a tie against AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands in the Europa League play-offs if Ange Postecoglou can lead his side to victory over Czech Republic team FK Jablonec, who are making their 11th appearance in contintental football.

The Hoops were knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Danish side Midtjylland after extra time but will hope to go further in the secondary UEFA competition.

Should Celtic fail to beat Jablonec, they will meet Kazakhstan’s FC Tobol or Slovakian side MŠK Žilina.

Cup double-winners St Johnstone face a stern test against Galatasaray in the third qualifying round of the Europa League and will face Randers of Denmark if they manage to progress past the Turkish club. If the Süper Lig side triumphs then the McDiarmid Park side will take on Vojvodina Novi Sad of Serbia or Austrians LASK Linz.

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The Saints have history with clubs from Turkey in Europe, having been knocked out by Eskişehirspor in the 2012/13 Europa League.

Hibs eliminated FC Santa Coloma in the second qualifying round of the brand new Europa Conference League but face a stiff challenge in Croatian side HNK Rijeka, whose most recent meeting with a Scottish side – Aberdeen – ended in a 4-0 aggregate victory for the Prva Liga club.

If the Easter Road side can advance to the play-off round then Jack Ross will lead his side into a tie against League of Ireland Premier Division side Bohemians, or three-time Greek champions PAOK.

The Dons, meanwhile, have a Europa Conference League third-round qualifier against Icelandic representatives Breiðablik and should Stephen Glass steer the Pittodrie outfit through that tie and into the play-offs, they will come up against AEL Limassol of Cyprus or Azerbaijan Premier League side Qarabağ.

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