RANGERS boss Pedro Caixinha has said he will leave nothing to chance as he attempts to lead the Ibrox side out of the European wilderness.
His team have been drawn to play Progres Niederkorn of Luxembourg in the Europa League first qualifying round.
The date and venue for the away leg have yet to be confirmed but it is expected Rangers will host the first game on June 29.
Aberdeen, after finishing second in the Scottish Premiership, will enter the competition at the second qualifying round stage.
They will play the winners of the tie between Ordabasy Shymkent of Kazakhstan and Siroki Brijeg from Bosnia. Aberdeen will host the first leg at Pittodrie on July 13 with the return the following week.
The round of European football will end Rangers’ six-year wait for a return to continental action following the club’s 2012 financial meltdown.
Caixinha’s side will take on either Cypriots AEL Limassol or St Joseph’s of Gibraltar if they progress to the second round.
A run to the group stages would provide the club with a major financial boost and Caixinha has promised he will make sure his team are fully briefed as they kick off their campaign against their minnow opponents who finished fourth in the Luxembourg National Division.
He told RangersTV: “We have started to collect our information.
“We know they are going to have a couple of matches before we play against them, so we want to be present. We want to analyse them and we want to do our homework.
“Of course, thinking about our team but also knowing about the opponent we are going to face.
“The return of Rangers to Europe is important for the club and we are going to do everything to be in the group stage.
“Of course, this is the first step and the first level, and we need to pass through it.”
Rangers dodged a trip to eastern Europe after managing to avoid Moldovans Zaria Balti in the first-round draw.
Caixinha is pleased his side will not be taxed too much by the short trip to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
The Portuguese said: “That is a benefit. It will be our first match and for the recovery process of the team it is good not to have a long trip.
“We are just waiting to hear when the second leg will be, so I am waiting to know to organise the plan and everything is going according to our first expectations of the process regarding to the plan.”
Meanwhile, Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson welcomed the draw and expressed his delight at seeing the club back in Europe once more.
He explained: “The European arena is one in which Rangers should always be involved and it is a real pleasure to see our club back on that platform.
“Being in today’s draw in Geneva is a further sign that normal service is being resumed at Rangers and every single fan of this club should be proud that European football is returning to Ibrox.
“It is another opportunity for us to showcase everything that is good about Rangers and I can’t wait.”
St Johnstone will be heading further afield after they were paired with FK Trakai of Lithuania in their first-round tie, with IFK Norrkoping or Prishtina awaiting the winner.
The draw was made at the headquarters of European governing body Uefa in Nyon yesterday.
Welsh Cup winners Bala Town were drawn against Vaduz of Liechtenstein while Derry City play Danish outfit Midtjylland.
Northern Irish sides Coleraine and Crusaders face Haugesund of Norway and Latvian side FK Liepaja respectively.
Ballymena United also face Norwegian opposition in Odd.
Two other Welsh teams, Connah’s Quay Nomads and Bangor, were also involved in the draw. Connah’s Quay play HJK Helsinki and Bangor take on Lyngby of Denmark.
Shamrock Rovers were drawn against Stajarnan of Israel, with Cork City paired with Estonia’s Levadia Tallinn.
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