The coefficient problem skyrockets after Celtic and Rangers horror shows as Champions League wilderness awaits

Celtic and Rangers are still recovering from their European disasters this week - and the midweek action leaves Scottish clubs with a long way to go before the Premiership winners automatically regain their Champions League spot.

With Turkish clubs surging a top 10 spot hopes of a top 10 spot are fading - while Scotland faces an uphill battle to move out of 17th position and overtake Greece and Denmark. Scottish sides started on the backfoot this season in their pursuit of a return to the top 10 - having dropped out last season and costing the Premiership champions an automatic stop in the league phase. A massive 9.75 points fell through UEFA's trap door and out of our five-year tally at the start of the latest European campaign leaving Scotland at 17th in the coefficient table.

If Scotland can't climb up the rankings it will make it even tougher for Scottish clubs to reach the Champions League league phase and take part in the £40m cash bonanza. Next season, the Scottish title winners will be entered into the Champions League play-off rounds while the runners-up enter at the second qualifying round. Third place will land the club a Europa League second qualifying round place, while fourth enters at the same stage in the Conference League.

But for the 2026/27 campaign, 17th place in the coefficient table only earns the champions a spot in the second qualifying round of the Champions League. As it stands, the runners-up would and third-place team would only enter Europe in the second round of the Conference League.

And with the pressure on to avoid a rocky road to Europe's elite competition, it has been a nightmare week for both Celtic and Rangers. Celtic got off to a winning start in the Champions League against Slovan