What awaits Scottish clubs in European qualifying competitions?
- Published
Rangers reached the knockout stages of the Europa League last season
The bulk of Scotland's senior clubs have already started their domestic season in the League Cup and this week three more teams begin their campaigns in Europe.
Seven teams from six Scottish clubs, in four separate competitions, will compete in men's and women's continental competition this season. Five of those sides already know their opponents, while the other two will find out theirs on Monday.
But what awaits? How does it all work? And what are the chances of progressing to the lucrative group stages?
What's changed?
Firstly, the qualifying rounds in the men's competitions revert back to two-legged ties after the one-off games of last term. However, one significant variation is that Uefa has done away with the away goals rule.
Another revolution is the addition of a third competition - the Europa Conference League. Although billed as giving the smaller clubs a chance of a lengthy run, there are still some ominous opponents standing in the way.
Hibernian and Aberdeen start in that competition and St Johnstone, Celtic and Rangers could all find themselves there too depending on when their Champions and Europa League interests end.
Another welcome change will be the return of fans, although full houses still seem a distant prospect.
It has been confirmed that 9,000 will be at Celtic Park for the visit of Midtjylland and a further 5,655 at Pittodrie to welcome Hacken, with Hibs still waiting to find out if their application for 9,000 will be successful.
Champions League
For the first time since 2012-13, Scotland has two teams in Europe's premier competition. But Rangers and Celtic face different paths if they are to be among Europe's elite when the group stage draw takes place on 26 August.
Celtic enter in the second qualifying round of the league route, with new manager Ange Postecoglou beginning his reign on Tuesday against Midtjylland, who finished second in the Danish Superliga last season.
If they prevail, they will face PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) or Galatasaray (Turkey).
Rangers will face the winners of Malmo (Sweden) v HJK Helsinki (Finland).
Europa League
While Rangers and Celtic could drop down should their Champions League qualification campaigns not go to plan, St Johnstone currently stand alone in representing Scotland.
Whatever happens, they will be in a play-off round - should they win their opening tie, it will be in the Europa League, lose and the safety net of the Conference League awaits.
The Perth side will face the loser of PSV's Champions League qualifier with Galatasaray.
Should Celtic lose to Midtjylland, they will meet Jablonec of the Czech Republic.
Were St Johnstone to upset the odds and win, waiting for them in the Europa League play-off round would be one of AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands), Fenerbahce (Turkey), Zorya Luhansk (Ukraine), Royal Antwerp (Belgium), Sturm Graz (Austria) or Randers (Denmark).
Win and they would be in the Europa League groups. Lose and a place in the Conference League group is theirs.
Europa Conference League
The new competition may be the lesser of the three, but qualification for the group stage is still a tough ask, with Hibs and Aberdeen having to progress through three rounds in order to get there.
Hibs will face Santa Coloma (Andorra), while Aberdeen have an apparently trickier tie against Hacken (Sweden).
If Hibs progress, they will take on Croatian side Rijeka or Gzira United of Malta while Austria Vienna or Breidablik of Iceland await the winner of Aberdeen's tie with Hacken.
And, even if they get through that, the play-off round parachutes in Roma and Tottenham Hotspur.
Women's Champions League
It's all changed for the women too, with a revamped competition bringing in a six-game group stage.
In a complicated qualifying process, clubs must navigate a semi-final and final in a mini-tournament hosted in one country, before playing home and away legs in the second qualifying round.
That means Glasgow City - who host their mini-tournament - take on Birkirkara (Malta) on 18 August before meeting BIIK Kazygurt (Kazakhstan) or Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) three days later in either a final, or a third-fourth place rubber.
Celtic face a much tougher task in their debut in the competition, with Fran Alonso's side in the league path. They travel to Norway for their group and open against Spain's Levante, with hosts' Rosenborg or Belarussian runners-up FC Minsk next.
The second round will be littered with huge names such as seven-time winners Lyon (France), two-time winners Wolfsburg (Germany) and other giants such as Manchester City and Real Madrid (Spain).