Martin has a lot to dwell as much as in Europe after Rangers reached the Europa League quarter-finals final season underneath interim head coach Barry Ferguson.
Nevertheless, he’ll hope to enhance on the opening Champions League qualifying defeat by Dynamo Kyiv that meant then boss Philippe Clement’s aspect dropped into the second-tier competitors.
Rangers, as is the case for Hibs and United of their competitions, want to return by three levels this time if they’re to make the Champions League correct.
Seeded for the draw, they are going to this time be opening their European marketing campaign in opposition to a staff who, like themselves, have been runners-up of their home league.
On paper, Panathinaikos would supply the hardest take a look at, the Greek aspect being 111th within the European membership rankings, 86 locations behind Rangers, with Servette 139th (one behind Coronary heart of Midlothian) and Brann 189th.
The Athens aspect have by no means misplaced to Scottish opponents over 90 minutes in 4 conferences with Rangers, two with Motherwell and one with Aberdeen, profitable 4 of their seven video games.
Nevertheless, it was Rangers who progressed once they final met the Ibrox aspect.
Having crushed Aberdeen 3-0 at residence within the 2007-08 Uefa Cup group stage, the Greeks exiting on away objectives after a 0-0 stalemate in Glasgow was adopted by a 1-1 attract Athens within the spherical of 32.
That they had crushed Rangers 3-1 at Ibrox, and drew 1-1 at residence, within the Champions League group stage in 2003, whereas they eased apart Motherwell 5-0 on combination of their newest assembly with a Scottish aspect in 2012 – within the Champions League third qualifying spherical.
Panathinaikos haven’t reached the Champions League correct since 2010-11 and final season began in Europa League qualifying, beating Botev Plovdiv however dropping to Ajax earlier than qualifying for the Convention League by defeating Lens.
They misplaced 4-1 at residence to eventual winners Chelsea and beat The New Saints 2-0 in Wales within the new league stage, ending thirteenth, earlier than beating Vikingur Reykjavik within the knockout section then dropping to Fiorentina within the final 16.
The furthest Servette have progressed within the Champions League, in the meantime, is the third qualifying spherical, the place they have been crushed by Rangers after a 1-1 attract Switzerland adopted a 2-1 loss at Ibrox.
Of their solely different assembly with a Scottish aspect, they misplaced by a single purpose to Aberdeen within the European Cup second spherical in 1985.
Final season, they have been ousted by Chelsea within the Convention League play-off spherical after beating Braga.
Rangers’ last potential opponents, Brann, have solely as soon as certified for group-stage soccer – again in 2007 within the Uefa Cup.
Final season, the Bergen aspect beat Go Forward Eagles within the Convention League second qualifying spherical, then defeated St Mirren 4-2 on combination after a 3-1 win in Norway, earlier than dropping to Astana within the play-off spherical.
Whichever of the three sides they face, Rangers will start their marketing campaign on 22/23 and 29/30 July.
Emerge victorious and they are going to be within the Champions League third qualifying draw on 21 July. Lose and it is going to be the identical stage of the Europa League.
