Rangers and Marseille launch their bids to qualify for the Champions League group stage this week as rank outsiders KI Klaksvik of the Faroe Islands try and lengthen their fairytale journey.
Former European champion PSV Eindhoven additionally enters the competitors within the third qualifying spherical, with six slots nonetheless to be crammed in what would be the closing season with 32 golf equipment within the group part.
The winners of the ten ties advance to the play-off spherical, for which the pairings will probably be drawn on Monday. Belgian champion Antwerp and Swiss champion Young Boys be part of earlier than the ultimate hurdle.
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Rangers endured a depressing return to the Champions League’s elite final 12 months, ending with out a single level in its first group-stage marketing campaign since 2010.
Michael Beale’s facet started the brand new Scottish season with a shock 1-0 loss at Kilmarnock, underlining the dimensions of the duty forward because it prepares to host Swiss facet Servette on Wednesday.
“It’s bitterly disappointing for the players and staff but ultimately for the fans who have been excited in the summer, so there’s a bit of realism in the air with that result,” mentioned Beale.
“There’s a lot of work to do moving forward but we’ll bounce back.”
Marseille additionally completed backside of its Champions League part final time period. An abject run on the finish of the season value them a shot at automated qualification and noticed coach Igor Tudor depart.
Marcelino is Marseille’s seventh full-time coach in eight years, and the membership has been busy within the switch market, bringing in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Ismaila Sarr.
“It’s an ambitious project in terms of the recruitment and mindset,” mentioned Kondogbia, who’s reunited with Marcelino after taking part in underneath the Spaniard at Valencia.
“Going through the qualifying rounds didn’t put me off. The important thing is the intent, and I’ve seen that in what’s been said and done.”
Kondogbia might be handed his Marseille debut away to Greek facet Panathinaikos, the 1971 European Cup runners-up whose final group-stage look got here 13 years in the past.
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Klaksvik made historical past final week as the primary Faroese membership to safe a spot within the group stage of a European competitors.
It knocked out Swedish champion BK Hacken on penalties to guarantee themselves of no less than a spot within the Conference League.
Klaksvik, based mostly in a city which boasts simply 5,000 inhabitants, faces Norwegians Molde on Tuesday.
Turkish giants, Galatasaray meet Olimpija Ljubljana of Slovenia, with FC Copenhagen up in opposition to Sparta Prague and AEK Athens taking part in Dinamo Zagreb.
PSV rubs shoulders with Sturm Graz of Austria as Portugal’s Braga tackle Serbian newcomers Backa Topola, with the dropping sides dropping into the Europa League.
Starting subsequent season, the Champions League will increase to 36 groups utilizing the so-called “Swiss system” mannequin for the group stage during which all sides will play eight matches.
Third spherical qualifying ties, first legs
Rakow (POL) v Aris Limassol (CYP)
FC Copenhagen (DEN) v Sparta Prague (CZE)
PSV Eindhoven (NED) v Sturm Graz (AUT)
AEK Athens (GRE) v Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
KI Klaksvik (FRO) v Molde (NOR)
Olimpija Ljubljana (SLO) v Galatasaray (TUR)
Braga (POR) v Backa Topola (SRB)
Panathinaikos (GRE) v Marseille (FRA)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) v Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Rangers (SCO) v Servette (SUI)
Return legs to be performed August 15
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com