Club Brugge finished second in the Belgian Pro League last season, and reached the last-16 of the Champions League before losing 6-1 on aggregate to Aston Villa.

Ranger met Brugge last month in a friendly, drawing 2-2 at Ibrox.

Players to keep an eye on include midfielders Ardon Jashari and Raphael Onyedika, and young Greek winger Kristos Tzolis. Former Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is in the squad.

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RB Salzburg finished second in the Austrian Bundesliga last season, while in the Champions League they were eliminated in the league phase after finishing 34th in the table with just one win from eight games.

Jurgen Klopp's former assistant Pep Lijnders began the season as manager, but was dismissed in December after a poor start to the campaign.

After taking part in the Fifa Club World Cup earlier this summer, Salzburg defeated Norwegian side Brann in the second qualifying round.

The likes of Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane and Dominik Szoboszlai have played for the Austrian side in the past.

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Rangers last got through Champions League qualifying in 2022 - and fans will not want reminding of what happened next.

They lost all six group phase matches, scoring two goals and conceding 22. It goes down in infamy as the worst ever group record in that format of the competition.

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Champions League

The schedule for the league phase of the competition is as follows:

• Matchday 1: 16–18 September 2025
• Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2025
• Matchday 3: 21/22 October 2025
• Matchday 4: 4/5 November 2025
• Matchday 5: 25/26 November 2025
• Matchday 6: 9/10 December 2025
• Matchday 7: 20/21 January 2026
• Matchday 8: 28 January 2026

The schedule for the knockout phase of the competition is as follows:

• Knockout phase play-offs: 17/18 & 24/25 February 2026
• Round of 16: 10/11 & 17/18 March 2026
• Quarter-finals: 7/8 & 14/15 April 2026
• Semi-finals: 28/29 April & 5/6 May 2026
• Final: 30 May 2026 (Budapest)

A total of 29 teams are already guaranteed a place in the league phase of the Champions League, with the play-offs deciding the seven qualifiers who will join them.

Among those already secured of a spot are holders PSG, Europa League winners Tottenham, and a further five representatives from the Premier League: Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Chelsea.

Celtic did indeed beat Slovan 5-1 in the opening game of the Champions League group phase last season. They will fancy their chances should they face the Slovakians again in the play-offs.

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We'll bring you profiles on the potential opponents for Rangers and Celtic in the next hour.

We will also be looking forward to the Europa League play-off draw at noon, and the Confference League draw after that.

In the meantime, let us know what you make of those ties for the Scottish giants - get in touch via the form at the top of this page.

Rangers

If Rangers get past Viktoria Plzen in the third qualifying round, they will play Austrian side RB Salzburg or Club Brugge of Belgium.

Like Celtic, Rangers have been drawn as the potential home side in the first leg on 19 or 20 August. We await to see if policing issues require any changes on that front.

If Rangers lose either to Plzen or in the play-off round, they drop into the Europa League. But if they win both ties, a spot in the Champions League proper awaits.

Image source, Getty Images

On we go, into the Champions League league path.

Rangers feature in this one...

Celtic

Brendan Rogers' side are in the fourth tie drawn, and will play either the champions of Kazakhstan or Slovakia for a place in the Champions League.

The first leg will take place in Glasgow at Celtic Park on 19 or 20 August, with the return leg in Almaty or Bratislava a week later.

The winner over two legs goes into the league phase, the loser drops into the Europa League.

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After remarkably little waffle, we are under way.

First up is the Champions League champions path - this features Celtic...

The 2025-26 Uefa Champions League officially began last month with the first and second qualifying rounds.

The first legs of the third qualifying round take place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, with the second legs all taking place on Tuesday, 12 August.

The first and second legs of the play-offs - the final round of qualifying, being drawn today - are scheduled for 19/20 and 26/27 August respectively.

Rangers

If Scottish Premiership runners-up Rangers get past Viktoria Plzen in the third round of qualifying, they will join Celtic in the play-off round.

Unlike their Glasgow rivals, Russell Martin's side are in the League Path - so there's no chance of an Old Firm Derby.

But like Celtic, if Rangers lose then they drop into the league phase of the Europa League.

The sides Rangers could be drawn against today are:

• The winners of Nice v Benfica
• The winners of RB Salzburg v Club Brugge

Celtic

Brendan Rodgers' side are seeded in the Champions Path side of the Champions League draw.

The winners progress to the league phase of the tournament. The losers over two legs will drop into the Europa League at the league phase stage.

The teams Celtic could possibly face are:

• Sturm Graz (Austria)
• Basel (Switzerland)
• Dynamo Kyiv (Ukraine)
• Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)
• Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan)
• Qarabag (Azerbaijan)
• Shkendija (North Macedonia)

Champions League play-off round draw

Time: 11.00 BST

British teams involved: Celtic and Rangers (both Scotland)

Europa League play-off round draw

Time: 12.00 BST

British teams involved: Aberdeen (Scotland)

Conference League play-off round draw

Time: 13.00 BST

British teams involved: Crystal Palace (England), Linfield (Northern Ireland), Larne (Northern Ireland), Dundee United (Scotland), Hibernian (Scotland)

We're keen to hear from you - what do you think of your team's chances in Europe this season? And who do you want to be drawn against today?

Let us know via the details above, and by using the form at the top of this page.

It's only just August, yet European football is firmly upon us.

We will be covering today's Champions League draws, featuring Celtic and Rangers, plus the Conference League draw in which Crystal Palace will learn their first ever European opponents.

We'll bring you all the ties as they are drawn, and any other updates you need to hear.