Panathinaikos were second in last season's Greek top flight Rangers have been drawn against Panathinaikos in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. The Scottish Premiership runners-up will be at home for the first leg on 22/23 July, with the return in Greece the following week. Meanwhile, the winners of the first-round tie between Linfield - champions of Northern Ireland and their Republic of Ireland counterparts Shelbourne will face Qarabag of Azerbaijan. Should Welsh champions The New Saints win their tie against Shkendija of North Maceonia, they will face either FCSB of Romania or Inter Club d'Escaldes of Andorra. Panathinaikos' visit will mark Russell Martin's first competitive game as Rangers head coach and the former Southampton boss has been handed the toughest of their possible draws despite the Ibrox side having been seeded. All three potential opponents were, like Rangers, runners-up in their domestic leagues, but while the Greek side are 111th in the European club rankings, 86 places behind Rangers, Swiss side Servette are 139th (one behind Heart of Midlothian) and Norwegians Brann 189th. The side managed by former Egypt and Benfica head coach Rui Vitoria finished 16 points behind Olympiakos in the Greek Super League last season, having overtaken AEK Athens after the league split. Panathinaikos have never lost to Scottish opponents over 90 minutes in four meetings with Rangers, two with Motherwell and one with Aberdeen, winning four of their seven games. However, it was Rangers who progressed when they last met the Ibrox side. Having beaten Aberdeen 3-0 at home in the 2007-08 Uefa Cup group stage, the Greeks exited on away goals after a 0-0 stalemate in Glasgow was followed by a 1-1 draw in Athens in the round of 32. They had beaten Rangers 3-1 at Ibrox, and drew 1-1 at home, in the Champions League group stage in 2003, while they eased aside Motherwell 5-0 on aggregate in their latest meeting with a Scottish side in 2012 - in the Champions League third qualifying round. Panathinaikos have not reached the Champions League proper since 2010-11 and last season started in Europa League qualifying, beating Botev Plovdiv but losing to Ajax before qualifying for the Conference League by defeating Lens. They lost 4-1 at home to eventual winners Chelsea and beat The New Saints 2-0 in Wales in the new league stage, finishing 13th, before beating Vikingur Reykjavik in the knockout phase and then losing to Fiorentina in the last 16. Rangers lost their opening Champions League qualifier to Dynamo Kyiv last season under Philippe Clement but reached the Europa League quarter-finals, by which time interim head coach Barry Ferguson was in charge. Teams winning their second qualifying round ties face two more rounds to make the league stage.
Rangers draw Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying
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"Rangers to Face Panathinaikos in Champions League Qualifying Round"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Rangers have been drawn against Panathinaikos in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, with the first leg scheduled to take place at Ibrox on July 22 or 23. The Scottish Premiership runners-up will travel to Greece for the return fixture the following week. This matchup represents a significant challenge for Russell Martin, who will be managing his first competitive game as Rangers head coach. Despite being seeded, Rangers face a tough opponent in Panathinaikos, who finished second in the Greek Super League last season, trailing Olympiakos by 16 points. The draw highlights the competitive nature of the qualifying rounds, as both teams were runners-up in their respective leagues last season. The match also sets the stage for a historical rivalry, as Panathinaikos has a strong record against Scottish teams, having never lost to them over 90 minutes in four previous encounters.
Panathinaikos, managed by Rui Vitoria, has a notable history in European competitions but has not reached the Champions League group stage since the 2010-11 season. Last season, they began their European journey in the Europa League qualifiers, where they achieved a victory over Botev Plovdiv but were eliminated by Ajax. They subsequently qualified for the Conference League, where they progressed to the knockout phase before being defeated by Fiorentina. Rangers, on the other hand, had a mixed campaign last season, losing their opening Champions League qualifier to Dynamo Kyiv but later advancing to the Europa League quarter-finals under interim coach Barry Ferguson. The upcoming ties will be crucial, as teams that advance from the second qualifying round will have to navigate two more rounds to reach the Champions League group stage, making each match a vital step toward achieving their European aspirations.
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