UEFA Champions League: Rangers, Mourinho's Fenerbahce fixtures set for 2024/25

Posted : 05 August 2024

The UEFA Champions League play-off round draw has been conducted, revealing the paths for Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho, and Rangers for the revamped 2024/25 competition. Both teams need to win their third qualifying round matches this week to advance to the play-offs and secure a spot in the new league format. If Rangers overcome Dynamo Kyiv in their qualifier, they will face either RB Salzburg or FC Twente in the play-off round.

Rangers start their European campaign with an away game in Poland against Dynamo Kyiv in the third qualifying round. Last season, under former manager Michael Beale, Rangers were knocked out in the play-off stage by PSV Eindhoven. Current head coach Philippe Clement understands the challenge of reaching the new league phase for the 2024/25 season. They must first defeat Dynamo Kyiv in the away leg on August 6 and then in the return leg at Ibrox a week later.

Should they succeed, Rangers will then face either Austrian side RB Salzburg or Dutch club FC Twente in the play-off round for a place in the main tournament. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho, leading Fenerbahce, is set to begin his latest European adventure. Mourinho, who won the Champions League with FC Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010, must guide Fenerbahce through the preliminary rounds.

Fenerbahce faces a challenging third qualifying round against French team LOSC Lille. If they advance, they will meet either Slavia Prague or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the play-off round to determine who moves forward to the main competition. The play-off round matches are scheduled for August 20-21 and August 27-28.

The full play-off draw includes several intriguing matchups in both the champions and league paths. In the champions path, matchups include Young Boys versus Galatasaray and Dinamo Zagreb against Qarabag FK or Ludogorets. Other fixtures see Midtjylland or Ferencvaros taking on Slovan Bratislava or APOEL, Bodo/Glimt or Jagiellonia Bialystok facing Crvena Zvezda, and Malmo FF or PAOK competing against Sparta Prague or FCSB.

In the league path, Lille or Fenerbahce will battle SK Slavia Prague or Union SG, while Rangers or Dynamo Kyiv will challenge RB Salzburg or FC Twente for a coveted spot in the group stage.

UEFA Champions League: Rangers, Mourinho's Fenerbahce fixtures set for 2024/25

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