Rangers UEFA Europa League campaign may already be drifting towards a quiet conclusion, but the significance of their final two continental fixtures has grown considerably in recent days.
What once looked like routine end-of-group encounters now carry real financial and strategic weight, with next season’s UEFA Champions League landscape hanging in the balance.
The Ibrox side currently sit at the summit of UEFA’s five-year club coefficient table among domestic champions, a position that would secure direct entry to the 2025-26 UEFA Champions’ League group stage for the Scottish Premiership winners.
The reward? An estimated £40 million windfall and a major boost to Rangers long-term European standing.
However, that advantage is under threat. Olympiacos recent UEFA Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen has dragged the Greek champions to within a single point of Rangers coefficient total.
Should they follow that up with another win away to Ajax, Olympiacos would almost certainly leapfrog the Light Blues in the rankings.
If the Greeks then go on to win the Super League – where they currently sit two points behind PAOK with a game in hand – they would claim the automatic UEFA Champions League place regardless of what happens in Scotland.
There are still scenarios that keep Rangers in pole position. A defeat for Olympiacos in Amsterdam would end their hopes of catching the Ibrox club. A draw would leave Rangers needing at least four points from their remaining UEFA Europa League fixtures to stay ahead.
Beyond that, Danish side Copenhagen and Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk remain mathematical threats if they go deep in Europe.
The problem for Rangers is that their own European campaign has offered little momentum.
Sitting 33rd in the table with just one point, they are already eliminated from knockout contention. Celtic and Ludogorets occupy the final playoff spots on seven points and theoretically could be caught, but Dinamo Zagreb and FCSB still have a fixture with each other that ensures Rangers cannot bridge the gap as any result for either team or a draw would end Rangers hopes.
Even so, the matches against Ludogorets and Porto now carry real significance in the broader financial picture – even if the domestic title race remains the true priority.
Rangers trail Hearts by six points in the Premiership and know that without league success, any European coefficient calculations become irrelevant.
Rohl: “We Want to Win Our First Game in This Competition”
Manager Danny Rohl, speaking ahead of the visit of Ludogorets, was clear that his focus remains on immediate performance rather than long-term scenarios.
“Straight in, good, I like it,” he said when asked about the Bulgarian side.
“It’s a competition where we have not won so far. This is our challenge – we want to win the first game in this competition.
“A win is a win, it doesn’t matter which competition.
“They have a clear structure, sometimes pressing high, sometimes sitting in a deeper block. It’s about us. It’s a good challenge to show where we are at the moment.”
Rohl confirmed that Rangers would not be heavily rotating, despite the packed domestic fixture schedule.
He said: “We will not rest so many players for tomorrow. We go with a strong group. This point is very important for us.”
Managing Europe and the League
With UEFA Europa League hopes gone, the temptation to shift full focus to the Scottish Premiership is understandable. But Rohl insists Rangers must treat every fixture seriously.
“It’s game by game. We start tomorrow to get more points on the table,” he said.
“Next week we face another strong opponent [Porto], but between that we have an important league game as well [Dundee].
“We have four weeks with eight games again. We need to be in a good position after these four weeks.”
The German coach acknowledged the importance of domestic success in keeping European ambitions alive.
“We have to be successful in the league, otherwise this is not a topic for us,” he said, referencing UEFA Champions League qualification.
“If we get a lot of points in these games, we will have a good summer.”
Squad Size and Loan Departures
With Lyall Cameron already out on loan to Scottish Premiership rivals Aberdeen, Kieran Dowell set to be announced at Hull City, and Finlay Curtis potentially following out on loan to Neil McCann’s Kilmarnock, Rohl addressed the need to manage a growing squad.
“We have new players in, but also some players that need game time,” he explained.
“Lyall did a fantastic job in the last weeks. He was very professional and made a straight impact in the last game.
“Now it’s important he gets minutes.”
Rohl expects further movement before the window closes.
“In the next seven to ten days, there will be some movements in and out. It’s crunch time in the transfer window,” he explained.
“Sometimes you have to be patient.
“Our European list has only 15 available players at the moment. It’s a very small squad, and three days later we have a league game and you have to use all the players on that list.”
Honest Conversations – But Not Yet
Asked whether he had told players they were unlikely to feature in the second half of the season, Rohl stressed the importance of timing.
“Not really, because in the last seven to ten days, you never know. If I say to a player ‘you should leave’ and nothing happens, it’s not fair,” he confirmed.
“All the players are here, they get the same support. If something happens, we speak honestly and directly.
“What is crucial is that we increase our training level and game performance.”
Injury Updates
There was cautious optimism on the fitness front.
“Unfortunately, John Souttar is out for this week,” Rohl said.
“But the result today is positive. We thought it was long-term, but now it’s hopefully just until Monday.
“Dujon [Sterling] looks good on the pitch. Connor [Barron] is on the way but it takes time. Derek [Cornelius] is training hard to come back and Bailey [Rice] is long-term.”
Transfer Window: Calm, But Not Complacent
Despite already adding three new faces with the arrivals of Tochi Chukwueni, Tuur Rommens and the loan acquisition of Andreas Skov Olsen, Rohl and Rangers remain active in the market.
“I knock every day on the door of recruitment and ask something new,” he joked.
“We’ve done a good job so far. Now it’s about timing - maybe there’s a domino effect at another club and we can take that opportunity.”
On the possibility of a marquee signing
“Maybe there’s someone where we can bring an exciting signing in. But it’s a lot of ‘if’ and ‘maybe’. Let’s wait.”
Rangers have reportedly reignited their interest in Tromso’s 20-year-old Norwegian midfielder Jens Hjertø-Dahl this week – but Rohl made no comment on this link.
Winning Mentality
With six consecutive victories behind them in all competitions, Rohl is keen to ensure standards remain high.
“We enjoyed having six wins in a row – this is fantastic. But we have to value every win.
“Not long ago, a win was not normal for us.
“This is why we go tomorrow with a strong 11. We want to continue this run. It’s not the time to look left or right. We focus on our own job.”
Squad Confidence Growing
Rohl believes the recent form surge has validated his belief in the group.
“My team showed me in the last weeks that they can, except from the Hearts match, beat everyone at the moment. That gives me calmness.
“The three new players showed their quality straight away. It increases the level of the players around them.
“The atmosphere is focused, the relationships are strong. They know what this opportunity means.”
Skov Olsen and Chukwueni Impressing
Two of the new arrivals have already caught the manager’s eye.
“For Sunday, I have Skov Olsen and Tochi in my mind. Skov shows calmness in the final third, good finishing, and the extra pass.
“Tochi understands the six position. He covers areas well, is calm on the ball, and listens. I don’t want to overload them with information – just let them feel the group.”
Tuur Rommens is training with the squad but looks set to wait until Rangers Scottish Cup fifth-round match in early February for his debut.
Do Rangers Need Another Striker?
Rohl stopped short of demanding a new forward but left the door open.
“As a manager, you’re always happy with your players. But if we sign a striker, it has to be the right fit.
“Maybe a player who can play two or three positions. We also need more goals from the players around the striker.
“Our full-backs can be more dangerous, especially at the second post. If everyone takes responsibility for scoring, we increase as a group.”
Reports have suggested Rangers may need to offload Danilo to facilitate a move for another striker but Rohl’s recent comments suggest this may no longer be the case.