Rangers put the frustration of shedding to Dynamo Kyiv within the Champions League third qualifying spherical final season behind them to succeed in the Europa League quarter-finals earlier than shedding to Athletic Bilbao.

On the best way, they drew 1-1 with eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur as they completed eighth within the league stage.

Having reached the final 16 the season earlier than, Rangers are actually ranked thirtieth in Europe – 60 locations above Panathinaikos.

Nonetheless, the Greek Superleague runners-up have an honest current file of their very own, having progressed by two rounds earlier than shedding to Braga within the play-offs two years in the past.

Final season, they thumped Botev Plovdiv 6-1 on mixture within the Europa League second qualifying spherical earlier than shedding on penalties to Ajax.

They’d then beat Lens within the Convention League play-off earlier than ending thirteenth within the league stage and reaching the spherical of 16, shedding to eventual semi-finalists Fiorentina.

Panathinaikos have by no means misplaced to Scottish opponents in seven matches, though – after beating Aberdeen within the group stage – it was Rangers who progressed within the 2008 Europa League spherical of 32 on away targets after a 1-1 draw at Ibrox was adopted by a goalless attract Athens.

5 years earlier, in addition they drew 1-1 in Athens however gained 3-1 at Ibrox within the Champions League group stage, whereas their most up-to-date assembly with a Scottish membership in qualifying was a 5-0 defeat of Motherwell in 2011.

Portuguese head coach Rui Vitoria, appointed in October, gained seven trophies with Benfica, led Al-Nassr to the 2020 African Champions League semi-finals, whereas Spartak Moscow gained their Europa League group forward of Leiceister Metropolis and Napoli whereas he was in cost.

Former Liverpool youth midfielder Pedro Chirivella, the Spaniard signed from Nantes, is one in every of three summer time purchases together with left-back Giorgos Kyriakopoulos, who left Monza after their relegation from Serie A.

Midfielder Manolis Siopis, signed from Cardiff Metropolis in January, is one other of their 5 Greece internationals, whereas they’ve 9 others capped for his or her international locations.

Amongst them are Uruguay winger Facundo Pellistri, who performed a handful of video games throughout 4 years with Manchester United, one time Southampton loanee midfielder Filip Duricic and United States centre-back Erik Palmer-Brown, as soon as of Manchester Metropolis.

Whether or not Rangers, within the early levels of rebuilding beneath new head coach Russell Martin, beat the Greeks to progress to the Champions League third qualifying spherical or drop to its Europa League equal, groups with related current European pedigree await.

Within the prime match, it’s Viktoria Plzen of the Czech Republic or Servette of Switzerland, whereas Besiktas of Turkey or Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine are arguably extra formidable opponents within the Europa equal.

Even when Rangers do attain the Champions League play-offs, Benfica, Brann, Membership Brugge, Good, or Salzburg will nonetheless must be overcome.