Europa League: What is at stake for Celtic & Rangers as group stages progress?

Neil Lennon and Steven GerrardSNS

Neil Lennon and Steven Gerrard turn their attention to the Europa League this midweek

Europa League: Sparta Prague v Celtic, Rangers v Benfica

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For one Scottish club, the last 32 is in sight. For another, an early exit looms large as the Europa League group stages reaches matchday four.

Rangers are well placed in their section, level on points with Benfica, but Celtic are floundering in theirs after two damaging home defeats. Both are in action again on Thursday, but what is at stake?

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Letna Stadium, Prague (17:55 GMT)

Celtic have had a European campaign to forget but all is not lost - yet.

Having dropped down from the Champions League after defeat by Ferencvaros, Neil Lennon's side have picked up just one point from three matches in the Europa League group stage.

Home defeats by AC Milan and Sparta Prague have given Celtic a mountain to climb, but if they win in Prague on Thursday, they will go above the Czech side.

Mohamed ElyounoussiSNS

The outcome of Lille and AC Milan's meeting in France would then become important. The Serie A giants are five points ahead of Celtic - and a point behind Lille - and host the Scottish champions next before Lille visit Glasgow.

But lose in the Czech capital on Thursday and it's as good as over for Celtic.

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Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow (20:00)

Just like in their domestic campaign, Rangers are unbeaten in the Europa League this season with a strong clean sheet record.

Steven Gerrard's side and Thursday's visitors Benfica are on seven points after their 3-3 draw in Portugal before the international break.

Four points further back are Lech Poznan, who got their first win in the group against Standard Liege last time out.

Alfredo MorelosSNS

So a win for Rangers at Ibrox would take them to 10 points and through to the last 32 if the Poles lose in Belgium. In this scenario, only one side could finish with more points than the Scots, who would have a better head-to-head record against the Portuguese.

However, defeat and another Poznan win would bring them to within a point of Rangers and leave qualification in the air, with the Premiership side still to travel to Poland.

Gerrard's team progressed with eight points last season, so a draw could be enough even at this early stage, though it would depend on their opponents cancelling each other out in the final two games.

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The numbers game

According to Football Coefficient, reaching the group stage guaranteed every club £2.6m, with a win rewarded with £506,000 and a draw £169,000.

Winning a group means an additional £1.33m, while finishing as a runner-up brings a bonus of around £887,000. In football's current (largely) fan-less environment, such income is a welcome boost.

Thursday is also a chance for Celtic (42nd) and Rangers (62nd) to improve their Uefa club coefficient and Scotland's national placing of 11th, which will have a bearing on future European campaigns.