RANGERS have suffered a massive blow in their bid for an automatic Champions League windfall after Greek giants Olympiacos leapfrogged them in the coefficient standings on a dramatic Wednesday night in Amsterdam.
A 2-1 victory for Olympiacos over Ajax has seen the Greeks surge ahead in the five-year club coefficient table, snatching the “poll position” for a direct route into next season’s league phase. For Danny Rohl’s men, the path to the £30million jackpot just got a lot steeper.
The Math Behind the Nightmare
The “back door” route allows the champion with the highest individual coefficient to bypass qualifying rounds if the Champions League winners have already secured a spot through their own league. Heading into the final matchday, Rangers sat on 59.25 points compared to Olympiacos’ 58.5.
However, the Greek side’s win in the Netherlands has propelled them to 60.5 points. Even if Rangers secure a historic win against Porto on Thursday, they can only reach a maximum of 60.25 points. To make matters worse, Olympiacos have qualified for the knockout rounds, giving them even more opportunities to extend their lead while Rangers’ European campaign comes to an end.
The Double Requirement
For Rangers to benefit from the automatic entry now, two things MUST happen:
- Rangers must win the Scottish Premiership: They currently trail in a three-way battle with Hearts and Celtic.
- Olympiacos must fail to win the Greek title: Rangers need Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side to be pipped by leaders PAOK (who ironically feature ex-Celts Greg Taylor and Giorgos Giakoumakis).
The Cost of European Exit
While Rangers have been dominant domestically with an eight-game winning streak, the damage was done earlier in the Europa League. Danny Rohl’s side was mathematically eliminated on Matchday 7, meaning they will have no further chance to add to their coefficient tally once the final whistle blows in Porto.
In contrast, Olympiacos will continue to rack up points in the Champions League knockout stages, potentially moving the goalposts even further out of reach for the Ibrox side.
Gers fans—is the Champions League ‘back door’ officially slammed shut, or can we rely on PAOK to do us a massive favour in Greece? Let us know in the comments!
Co-Founder of Fitba Focus and MMA UK. A lifelong Rangers fan and former player, he combines over a decade of sports media experience with a deep-seated passion for the Scottish game. From the Ibrox stands to the lower-league terraces, Frankie is dedicated to providing honest, fan-led analysis of the full Scottish pyramid.
