31 Oct 2008SPL runners-up to avoid Rangers' fate from next year

Football Leagues/ Association and Governance

The runners-up in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) will be allowed to drop into the Europa League next season if they lose a Champions League qualifier, Uefa confirmed today (October 31st).

Rangers suffered first-hand from the current regulations in August when they were eliminated from Europe altogether after losing their opening qualifying clash with FBK Kaunas.

But from next year, such a scenario will see the Scottish side involved being moved into the third round of qualifying for the Europa League, which is set to be the name of the rebranded Uefa Cup.

New regulations will also mean that the second-placed SPL team could potentially face a team from the Netherlands in the second qualifying round and an English team in the third qualifying round.

In addition, European football's governing body confirmed that the Scottish champions will go straight into the group stages next season, owing to Scotland's tenth place in the Uefa coefficient rankings.

Meanwhile, the fourth-placed team will enter the Europa League in the second qualifying round stage and the third-placed team will be placed in the hat for the third round draw.

No Scottish team has ever won the Uefa Cup or its predecessor, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, although Dundee United (1987) and Rangers (2008) have both reached the final.

© Copyright