There are many different ways in which Rangers’ stunning success in Europe can be quantified.
Not just in reaching the Europa League semi-finals this season but since Steven Gerrard took the helm in 2018 and restored the club’s reputation in continental competition.
For many fans it’s simply about the prestige of not only rubbing shoulders with but beating some of the biggest names in football.
And for the club it’s about the riches on offer with former chairman Dave King admitting a few years ago “the club and company will only be self-sustaining when we’re consistently successful in Europe”.
Then of course there is that all-important coefficient which the Ibrox side have done so well to boost both as a nation for Scotland an in terms of their own club.
The irony is that after all their efforts in recent years that it’s rivals Celtic who are on course to benefit with this season’s Scottish Premiership champions going directly into the Champions League group stage.
That is a scenario that is hugely frustrating for Rangers yet, after seeing off Braga in that epic quarter final second leg on Thursday night, there is a chance the Light Blues could even join them if they can get their hands on that trophy in Seville on May 18.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men are still the outsiders but in reaching the last four they have still boosted those three key areas - pounds, prestige and coefficient.
To start with, even if Rangers don’t win the Europa League then in seeing off Braga they have, on paper at least, increased their chances of getting through the Champions League qualifiers.
By beating the Portuguese outfit the Scottish champions have ensured they will seeded in the qualifiers and their non-champions path to football’s Promised Land not quite as treacherous.
Navigating their way through the qualifiers is never easy for any Scottish club - as Gers found out to their cost against Malmo this season - but their reward for reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League should be an easier route.
Thursday’s extra time win elevated them above Braga and Red Star Belgrade who they defeated int he previous round with the three points awarded for the win taking them on to 46.250 and into 34th spot in the club co-efficient table.
As a league, Scotland could only finish as high as ninth this season but will move above Austria next season when the disastrous 2017/18 season - Gers lost to Progres Niederkorn and Celtic won just one of six Champions League games - is wiped as the coefficient table calculates points from the last five seasons inclusive.
The financial blow of losing to Malmo was huge with an estimated £40 million up for grabs for Champions League qualification.
But there is no doubt that the Europa League run has helped soften that and any potential loss of not reaching the group stage of next season.
Rangers have raked in almost £12 million alone in prize money from their group stage campaign but have banked at least double that amount from their European exploits this season from the combined revenue.
