Rangers: Ibrox catch-22 emerges with Champions League millions on the line

Dan Plumley has stated that Rangers’ first goal for this season will be to win the Scottish Premiership, not the Europa League.

Although Philippe Clement acknowledged that he will give it his all in every competition at Ibrox, the league and Champions League automatic qualifying have already been decided.

The football finance expert admitted that the money on offer in the Champions League is front and centre behind that, although there is a “catch-22” with the coefficient of Scottish football.

“The finances of it are absolutely front and centre of that,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.

“The group stage participation for the Champions League is the thick end of €15million [£12.7m], you can probably make €20million [£17m] out of the group stages all things considered.

You can see the economic scope of the Europa League, where participation fees are significantly cheaper at €5 million [£4.2 million] in the group stages. However, given the discussion surrounding the nation coefficient, where that balance exists, there is also a bit of a catch-22.

Does the coefficient remain intact if you have a successful season in the Europa League this year? In fact, given there are more points awarded for a win in that, winning the league, qualifying for the Champions League, and performing well might raise the coefficient.

“It’s a really tricky balance, but you have to look at it through the lens of the club, and it’s quite clear that the club’s priority is the league and the Champions League and I absolutely get that.

“It’s a really tricky balance, but you have to look at it through the lens of the club, and it’s quite clear that the club’s priority is the league and the Champions League and I absolutely get that.