Celtic and Rangers lose automatic Champions League spot – but loophole could see Gers find backdoor entry

Celtic or Rangers will be the last Scottish Premiership champions to be awarded a guaranteed automatic place in the Champions League group stage.

Whoever wins the title this season will reap the rewards for the final time after the Czech Republic overtook Scotland into tenth place in the UEFA rankings.

Viktoria Plzen’s goalless draw against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening gave the Czechs a welcome boost that will come into effect in the 2025/26 season.

The news will provide a huge boost to the Old Firm in their fight to clinch this season’s title and with it, a place in next season’s revamped Champions League.

With up to £60million at stake thanks to eight guaranteed games in next season’s new format, second-placed Scotland could still play their part, even if they go through the qualifying route.

The same route, however, will be the path taken by next season’s Premiership champions who advance directly to the ‘Champions Path’ play-offs, with the second-placed team facing two qualifying rounds.

But a loophole could allow Rangers to still clinch an automatic place in the group stage if they win their domestic title next season.

Gers’ recent performances in Europe could be rewarded with an impressive five-year coefficient sparked by deep runs in the Europa League.

Rangers currently sit 25th in the European table and could secure an automatic place if next year’s Champions League winner also qualifies by league position.

The place granted to the highest ranked national champion over five years who does not access the competition through the league would then be freed, with Rangers able to benefit.

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Better yet, the coefficient could even come into play next season if they miss out on the title this season and skip qualifying altogether.

Rangers were soundly beaten in last summer’s Champions League play-offs, succumbing to Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven 7-3 on aggregate.

Another impressive performance in the Europa League saw Rangers top a group comprising Sparta Prague, Real Betis and Aris Limassol.

But a narrow defeat to Benfica saw Philippe Clements’ side collapse horribly in the last 16.