Rangers have been given a tough draw in the UCL playoffs | OneFootball

Rangers will face either Club Brugge or Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League playoffs if they manage to get past Viktoria Plzen. The path to the group stage grows no easier for the Ibrox side as they prepare for one of the toughest qualification campaigns they have faced in years. After a mixed pre-season and an unconvincing start to domestic duties, the weight of expectation grows heavier.

Supporters already feel the pressure. They wanted a favourable draw. What they got instead was the toughest possible outcome. Plzen are already a difficult hurdle but the potential meeting with Salzburg or Brugge ramps things up. Rangers need to show real strength and composure in both legs to survive the next two rounds.

Russell Martin must find a way to rally his players as Rangers will face either Club Brugge or Salzburg. Fans still debate whether the team can handle this level. Salzburg have strong European pedigree while Brugge proved themselves with dominant Champions League showings in recent seasons. Each team brings a different threat but both share ruthless European experience Rangers cannot take lightly.

As covered recently on Ibrox Noise, the scale of the task ahead is monumental. The club cannot afford any lapses. They must defend with discipline and attack with courage. Anything less will end their dream of reaching the group stage. Too much is at stake for complacency to creep in.

Russell Martin’s approach now comes under the spotlight more than ever. He knows what failure means here. The Champions League defines seasons and shapes transfer policy. Financial rewards grow larger with every round. Rangers need the windfall, both for investment and credibility.

The prospect of returning to Europe’s elite competition has driven the club’s ambition all summer. But the reality of that challenge looks far more brutal than many fans hoped. Panathinaikos showed how costly it it could be if Rangers fail to turn up at this level. They cannot afford a repeat of that level of performance.

One key figure close to the club believes the squad needs two more quality additions before facing Salzburg or Brugge. Others argue the current group can rise to the moment. Only results will answer that. What is certain is that the challenge is now crystal clear.

The situation has attracted wider attention from leading sports media around the globe. Journalists across Europe now keep one eye on the Ibrox club’s European push. Rangers stand at a crossroads again. Only strong leadership and sharper execution can carry them through.