EUR ROUTE TO GLORY
How Scottish Premiership teams can get into Europe
THE business end of the season is upon us with the Scottish Cup semi-finalists sorted and just eight or nine rounds of Premiership games left.
So how does the European breakdown look for 2018-19? Who is likely to qualify for UEFA’s competitions and at which round do they begin?
Record Sport reveals here how it could all play out.
Champions League: The Premiership winners, almost certainly Celtic, will face eight games in eight weeks to reach the group stage.
UEFA have adjusted the format with the four highest-ranked domestic leagues – Spain, Germany, England and Italy all guaranteed four group places.
That means countries like Scotland having to play an extra qualifier (four instead of three). Throw in the World Cup this summer and the Premiership champions face a punishing itinerary in the qualifying stages.
DATES
July 10/11 ....................... 1st qual rd, 1st leg July 17/18 ................... 1st qual rd, 2nd leg July 24/25 ................. 2nd qual rd, 1st leg July 31 ...................... 2nd qual rd, 2nd leg Aug 1 ......................... 2nd qual rd, 2nd leg Aug7/8 ........................ 3rdqualrd,1stleg Aug 14 ....................... 3rd qual rd, 2nd leg Aug 21/22 ..................... Play-off rd, 1st leg Aug 28/29 ................ Play-off rd, 2nd leg
Europa League: The Premiership will again enter three teams into UEFA’s second-tier competition.
As things stand Rangers, Aberdeen and Hibs will qualify should Celtic or either of Graeme Murty or Derek McInnes’s sides win the Scottish Cup.
Now comes the complicated part. If Rangers or Aberdeen triumph at Hampden in May they will enter at the second qualifying round.
However, should the league champions (probably Celtic) also claim the Cup the second-placed finisher in the Premiership will be the club going in at the second qualifying round.
The remaining two Europa League qualifiers will start the competition in the first qualifying round.
Motherwell – also in the Scottish Cup semis – would not qualify if they are losing finalists should they fail to achieve a top-four Premiership finish.
Put simply, there is no European place for the Scottish Cup runners-up if they haven’t qualified through their league position.
DATES
July 12 ............................ 1st qual rd, 1st leg July 19 ......................... 1st qual rd, 2nd leg July 26 ........................ 2nd qual rd, 1st leg Aug 2 ........................ 2nd qual rd, 2nd leg Aug 9 ............................ 3rd qual rd, 1st leg Aug 16 ....................... 3rd qual rd, 2nd leg Aug 23 .......................... Play-off rd, 1st leg Aug 30 ....................... Play-off rd, 2nd leg