Rangers found out their opponents for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League this morning, as UEFA conducted the draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
Russell Martin and his side are in the League Path section of the draw and had the chance to be paired with either Norwegian side SK Brann, Panathinaikos, who we met during our run to the 2008 UEFA Cup final, or Servette, who we defeated en-route to the 2022/23 Champions’ League group stage.
Rangers released a full breakdown of each potential opponent on their website prior to the draw.
The draw, which began broadcasting at 11am GMT, saw the Gers drawn against the Greek side, Panathinaikos, who finished second behind Olympiacos in the Greek Super League last season. In what is arguably the toughest draw of the three, Martin and his squad will need to be fully prepared, both tactically and in terms of personnel.
The first leg will take place on either the 22nd or 23rd of July, with the return leg a week later on the 29th or 30th. Fixture specifics have yet to be confirmed, and the club has urged supporters to await official communication before making travel plans.
We will need to assemble a squad capable of competing with the famous Athens side as we aim to return to Europe’s top table for the first time since 2022.
Last season, we exited the competition to Dynamo Kyiv, due to a combination of lack of preparation, poor transfer business, and a controversial red card shown to Jefte.
Not playing at Ibrox was surely also a factor, as the atmosphere fell short of the ferocious standard we’ve come to expect at home.
We would go on to reach the quarterfinals of the Europa League, but the Champions League remains our ultimate destination, both for competitive stature and financial gain.
A Familiar Foe: Panathinaikos
Formed in 1908, Panathinaikos are one of Greece’s most storied clubs, with 20 league titles and 20 domestic cups. They are also the only Greek team to have reached a Champions League final, losing 2-0 to Ajax in 1971.
We’ve met them on a few occasions. First came the 2003/04 Champions’ League group stage, where we earned a credible draw in Greece in October 2003, Emerson opened the scoring before a late header from Pantelis Konstantinidis levelled the tie.
The Shamrocks would win the reverse fixture at Ibrox in December, with three goals following a Michael Mols opener, sending them home with a victory and eliminating us from Europe.
We crossed paths again in the last 32 of the 2007/08 UEFA Cup.
A tame 0-0 draw at Ibrox was followed by a 1-1 draw in the fiery Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, where Giannis Goumas gave the Greeks the lead before Nacho Novo equalised, sending Walter Smith’s side through on away goals, the first step on our memorable run to Manchester.
Overall, we have a record of three draws and one defeat against Panathinaikos, despite progressing in 2008. With the away goals rule now abolished, we’ll need to break our winless record against them to advance.
Players to Watch
Panathinaikos boast several recognisable names. Facundo Pellistri, the former Manchester United winger, had a disappointing first season in Greece, scoring just four times in 31 appearances.
Also in their ranks:
• Tonny Vilhena, formerly of Feyenoord, where he won the Eredivisie alongside ex-Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
• Tetê, a Brazilian winger previously with Leicester City and Lyon, who netted six goals in Europe last season.
Dangerous but perhaps less familiar, is Fotis Ioannidis, a 25-year-old Greek international with 34 goals over the past two seasons, including 12 in Europe. Entering his prime, he will be their key attacking threat.
Veteran Serbian Filip Đuričić was their top scorer last season, another threat we must nullify. While they lack a standout striker, their goals come from across the pitch, making them unpredictable and dangerous.
Defensive Strength
At the back, they have experience in abundance:
• Former German international Philipp Max and new signing Georgios Kyriakopoulos as equally strong left-back options.
• Veteran Croatian Tin Jedvaj marshals the defence alongside newcomer Ahmed Touba.
• In goal, experienced Polish keeper Bartłomiej Drągowski will be the man to beat.
They finished second in Greece with a +10-goal difference, favouring narrow victories and defensive solidity. Don’t expect a thriller, this is a tie we’ll need to grind out.
Last season, they exited the Europa League qualifiers to Ajax, then dropped into the Conference League, where they reached the Round of 16, beating Fiorentina in one leg but losing 5-4 on aggregate.
With the tie taking place in the heat and intensity of Athens in July, we must prepare for a battle, both against the conditions and the infamously loud Greek atmosphere.
What’s Next?
Should we progress, the draw for the third qualifying round is on 21 July 2025, with ties on the 5th/6th and 12th/13th of August.
If we lose, we drop into the Europa League qualifiers. Defeat there would see us in the final round of Conference League qualifying. Exit at that stage, and our European campaign would be over before September.
So, victory here is crucial to guarantee league phase football in some form.
Europa League dates:
• Third qualifying round: 7th & 14th August
• Play-off round: 21st & 28th August
Conference League play-offs:
• Matches: 19th/20th and 26th/27th August
Should we make it through, we’ll need to spend our prize money wisely, and quickly, with the transfer window closing shortly after.