The rough guide to: NK Maribor

How did they get here?: Knocked out of Champions League qualifying by Maccabi Haifa

Star Player: Marcos Tavares

Analysis: Maribor - who beat Hibs home and away in the Europa League last season - have been the dominant side in Slovenian football in recent times with nine titles in the past 15 years. However, the rapid progress made by the Slovenian national team - who currently sit 39 places above Scotland in the Fifa rankings - has not translated into more success on the European front at club level.

The principal factor in this disparity is that the vast majority of Slovenian players move abroad at a young age to seek the challenge and wages of better leagues around Europe. The current Maribor side is a prime example of this movement with goalkeeper Jasmin Handanovi - the only player who was part of the Slovenian squad at last summer's World Cup. Like so many sides around Europe, Maribor have turned to nomadic Brazilians to fill the void left by their best local players upping sticks. The squad boasts three Brazilians, with captain and striker Marcos Tavares their standout talent.

Marcos scored twice against Maccabi Haifa in the third round of Champions League qualifying but it wasn't enough as the Israelis progressed 3-2 on aggregate and Maribor, like Rangers, fell into Europe's second-tier competition.

Another notable performer is Agim Ibraimi, the creative midfielder who Scotland fans will become acquainted with in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers as he is regarded as one of Macedonia's great young hopes.

Expect this to be a much tighter encounter than Rangers' 6-1 aggregate win in the pair's only previous meeting in 2001.