Rangers are at risk of relying on Celtic for their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.
It’s been a unique season for several reasons in the Scottish Premiership, none more than the fact that Hearts lead the way with three games remaining.
For Celtic and Rangers, second place is failure — though the Ibrox side have been much more used to it of late. Regardless, there is value in ensuring a second place finish instead of third, as is a real possibility for both this season.
And, should Danny Rohl’s side finish third, they’ll be relying on Martin O’Neill to deliver in the Scottish Cup final.
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Celtic Scottish Cup final could decide Rangers’ European fate
This season’s Premiership winners will enter next season’s Champions League play-off, the final qualifying stage.
Of course, this was the case for the Hoops after their title win last season… though let’s not talk about how the tie went against Kairat Almaty.
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This is the only place which guarantees European football proper next season, due to the fact that defeat leads to Europa League qualification.
Second place will enter the second qualifying round of the Champions League, a tall order indeed. Defeat there leads to the third qualifying round for the Europa League, where defeat means a play-off to enter the Conference League.
The destiny for third place remains undecided. The winner of the Scottish Cup final at the end of this month is guaranteed a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
This means that if Rangers finish third, a win for Dunfermline condemns them to the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
In short, they would need Celtic to win the cup if they want a chance at the Europa League.
You could spin it and say that the Conference is preferable to the Europa due to the opportunity to go on a run. However, the Europa offers double the prize-pot per win.
If finance is their biggest concern, they’ll be rooting the Hoops in the event of finishing third.
How about that, Celtic fans? Three massive points
Kelechi Iheanacho yet again!
Alistair Johnston on Celtic’s title hopes
Speaking about the title run-in, Celtic’s Alistair Johnston said: “We know how good our squad is.
“Even with a couple injuries, we still fancy ourselves to be the favourites to go and win the league.
“So there’s been that added pressure from within our own group. Like, no, we can find a way. We need to go and find a way to win this league.
“But there’s been tonnes, just tonnes of things that have happened. Tonnes of change behind the scenes. Tonnes of obstacles. But the lads have passed them. Not always with flying colours, but they’ve passed them.
“We’ve continued to chip away and stay in this league. And now we have a chance here with a month left to go up there and ideally do a double. So that’s kind of still our mindset.
“There’s definitely an excitement in the group because you know that it’s all still there to play for. And that’s all you can really ask for when you get to this time of the season.”
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