Rangers on cusp of being seeded in Champions League qualifiers next season

Rangers could be handed a major seeding boost in next season’s Champions League qualifiers if they go on to clinch their first domestic title triumph in a decade.

Steven Gerrard's prospects of leading Rangers to the group stage of the Champions League next season could be enhanced by seeded status in the third qualifying round. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Steven Gerrard’s runaway Scottish Premiership leaders are on course to go into the ‘champions path’ of the Champions League where they would begin their campaign in the third qualifying round.

Based on current projections, Rangers would be ranked seventh of the 12 teams in the draw for that round, meaning they would be unseeded.

But five of the six clubs predicted to be seeded would start out in the first or second qualifying round. As it stands, it means that if just one of Dinamo Zagreb, Ludogorets, Olympiacos, Young Boys and Red Star Belgrade are eliminated before the third qualifying round, Rangers would be seeded.

The Ibrox club have not participated in the lucrative Champions League group stage since 2010-11, the final season of Walter Smith’s second spell as manager.

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