Rangers learn potential opponents for Champions League play-off round

Rangers will face either Olympiacos or Ludogorets in the play-off round of Champions League qualifying should they defeat Malmo over two legs.

Rangers take on Malmo at Ibrox on Tuesday. Picture: SNS

The Ibrox side are looking to make it to the group stages of Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 2010 and will host Malmo on Tuesday evening for the first meeting of their third qualifying round encounter.

By drawing a potential match-up of the Greek and Bulgarian champions in the next round, Steven Gerrard’s side avoided a nightmare re-match scenario with Slavia Prague.

The Czech side knocked Rangers out of last season’s Europa League with a victory at Ibrox after a first-leg draw in Prague. However, the match was marred by racist abuse suffered from ‘Gers midfielder Glen Kamara by away defender Ondrej Kudela who received a ten-match ban and missed his country’s Euro 2020 campaign as a result.

The first leg encounters for the play-offs will take place on August 17/18 with the return matches a week later.

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