How Celtic can reach Europa League knockouts win, lose or draw as Rangers suffer coefficient blow

For Celtic, the objective is to reach the knockout stages when they host Dutch side Utrecht at Parkhead. The Hoops currently occupy 24th place in the table - the last qualifying spot - after collecting eight points from their seven fixtures to date.

The 2-2 draw in Bologna last week - achieved despite playing an hour with 10 men following a red card for Reo Hatate - means Celtic have it in their own hands to secure progression.

What Celtic need against Utrecht

A victory over Utrecht, who are already eliminated in 34th with one point, will move Celtic onto 11 points and guarantee their place as an unseeded club in the play-off round.

A draw might be enough for Celtic to progress but would require a number of results to go in their favour. Young Boys, currently 23rd on nine points with a minus five goal difference, losing away to Stuttgart would be help their cause as it would it mean that Celtic, by finishing on nine points with a minus four goal difference, would leapfrog the Swiss team.

Celtic could only then be knocked out if two of the four teams directly below them - namely Ludogorets, Feyenoord, RB Salzburg and Basel - manage to win their matches. Steaua Bucharest (-7 GD) and Go Ahead Eagles (-8 GD) could also finish above Celtic if Martin O'Neill's side draw but would need sizeable victories to make up the goal difference.

If Celtic lose, Ludogorets would just need a draw at home to Nice to leapfrog them because of their superior goal difference.

A defeated Celtic would need a total of six results to go in their favour - a defeat for Ludogorets and draws at best for Feyenoord, Basel, RB Salzburg, Steaua Bucharest and Go Ahead Eagles - to progress with eight points, which would seem unlikely.

Rangers suffer Champions League blow

Rangers, meanwhile, will travel to Porto with no hope of reaching the knockout stages having already eliminated from the Europa League prior to securing their first win at the seventh attempt with a 1-0 victory against Ludogorets at Ibrox last week.

Their hopes of securing a potential automatic Champions League spot next season have also suffered a blow after they were overtaken by Olympiacos in Uefa's club coefficient rankings.

A direct Champions League place for next season is reserved for the domestic champion with the highest five-year coefficient who doesn’t qualify automatically, providing this year’s Champions League winner also qualifies via their domestic league.

Rangers had been leading the race for this possible £40m goldmine providing they clinch the Scottish title. However, the Greeks secured a 2-1 victory over Ajax in Amsterdam on Wednesday night to progress to the Champions League knockout round and ensure they will finish above Rangers in the coefficient table, regardless of Rangers' result in Porto on Thursday night.

Rangers will now need to win the Premiership and hope Olympiacos do not win the Greek Super League (they are currently two points behind leaders AEK Athens with a game in hand) in order for that dream scenario to come true. Otherwise, they will need to negotiate a Champions League play-off round - same as Celtic or Hearts - if they become Scottish champions in May.

The coefficient points on offer in Porto on Thursday night could yet prove important for Rangers as Shakhtar Donetsk also remain a threat. They are already through to the knockout phase of the Conference League and could overtake Rangers in the coefficient rankings if they reach the semi-finals, potentially clinching the direct Champions League spot for themselves if they land the Ukrainian title (they are currently second on goal difference benhind LNZ Cherkasy).