Rangers will travel to Belgium on Tuesday, August 2 for the first leg of their Champions League third round qualifier against Union Saint-Gilloise with the return fixture taking place at Ibrox seven days later, the Belgian club has revealed on their official website.
The sides were paired together in Monday's draw in Nyon but fans have been forced to wait for confirmation of match dates. Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his men face last season’s Jupiler Pro League runners-up with the game being switched from their own Stade Joseph Marien to OH Leuven's Den Dreef Stadium, which has a capacity of just 10,000 and is 30km from Brussels. The match, which they state kicks off at 7.45pm, is just a few days after their Scottish Premiership opener away to Livingston.
The Light Blues were away from home at the same stage of the competition last season when they conceded twice in quick succession against Malmo in Sweden. Steven Davis pulled a late goal back and the tie was levelled when Alfredo Morelos scored first at Ibrox but, despite the visitors getting a man sent off, it was Malmo who progressed as they scored twice to stun Steven Gerrard’s side.
Rangers will want to avoid a repeat of that scenario and Ibrox Stadium is likely to be packed out with Saint-Gilloise also stating the return match will be seven days later in Glasgow with a 7.45pm kick off. Van Bronckhorst’s side are hoping to reach the play-off round. If they manage that then games will be played on August 16/17 with the return games on August 23/24 with the Champions League group stage taking place on August 25.
But Rangers are guaranteed European group stage football next season as they will drop into the Europa League group regardless of whether they lose in the third qualifying round or play off round.
READ NEXT
