The Champions League battle danger as Celtic and Rangers need SPFL help or guaranteed two spots are a goner

Having enjoyed two Champions League qualification spots since 2020/21, Scotland now faces a five-way battle against Austria, Switzerland, Turkey and Serbia to keep them.

Celtic have been the main beneficiaries, finishing top of the pile in the two seasons since one of those spots became a guaranteed ticket to the group stage in 2021/22. In that sense, Rangers’ timing was poor. They may have stopped 10-In-A-Row, but were eliminated in the qualifiers by an Antonio Colak-inspired Malmo. Ange Postecoglou wrestled it back off Rangers in his first season at Parkhead, booking a seat at Europe’s top table, while the Ibrox club made it through the qualifiers, dumping PSV out to join their rivals and a share of the lucrative prize pot.

The Hoops will be back at the same stage with Brendan Rodgers this season, while Michael Beale has two rounds to negotiate if he is to get the chance to mix it with the Continent’s best. But that situation may not last too long if there’s not a better points return this time around.

An indepth look at each nation's five-year coefficient ranking by Extra Time Talk lays out the challenge Scotland has on its hands from 2024/25 onwards. That’s also when a major shake-up of the Champions League comes into effect, seeing teams play 10 matches against 10 different teams, then eight. Our two spots are guaranteed until then, but the coefficient ranking from this season will at that point kick in, and we didn't do ourselves any favours last term.

Rangers suffered the shame of being crowned the worst Champions League group stage team, ever. They shipped 22 goals in what was an admittedly tough group containing Liverpool, Napoli and Ajax. Not a single point was picked up, while Celtic managed just two draws.