[Sport] Europa League: Scottish clubs learn potential play-off opponents

[Shyloo]

Europa League: Scottish clubs learn potential play-off opponents

 

Rangers will be at home to Galatasaray or Hajduk Split in the Europa League play-off round if Steven Gerrard's side defeat Willem II on Thursday.

Should Celtic progress past FC Riga, they will be away to Sarajevo or Buducnost Podgorica.

Aberdeen or Sporting host LASK or Dunajska Streda, while the winners of Motherwell's tie at Hapoel Be'er Sheva welcome Viktoria Plzen or Sonderjyske.

The one-legged ties take place on 1 October.

Rangers faced the prospect of a meeting with Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur, but the London club will host either Rostov of Russia or Israel's Maccabi Haifa if they can overcome Shkendija in North Macedonia.

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Celtic, whose Champions League hopes were ended by Ferencvaros, face a trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina or Macedonia, and a potential reunion with Sarajevo a year on from defeating them 5-2 on aggregate, including a 3-1 away win.

Buducnost Podgorica, title winners of Montenegro, lost 3-1 at home to Ludogorets in the Champions League qualifiers and are four matches into their domestic campaign.

Rangers' only previous meeting with Galatasaray was 20 years ago, with a 3-2 defeat in Turkey followed by a goalless draw at Ibrox.

Galatasaray played in the Champions League group stage last season, and are one game into the new domestic campaign after finishing sixth last term.

Croatian club Hajduk haven't made it beyond qualifying in European competition since season 2010-11.

Should Aberdeen stun Portuguese giants Sporting their reward will be a home tie with Austrians LASK - who made the last 16 last season before being crushed 7-1 by Manchester United - or Dunajska Streda of Slovakia.

And Motherwell's potential play-off opponents Viktoria Plzen have been Czech league runners-up two years running, while Danes Sonderjyske are playing in Europe for just the second time.