Rangers will be aiming to qualify for the Champions League group stages for a second successive season this year.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst guided the Light Blues to their first proper UCL campaign since their demotion to the lower leagues.

The Ibrox club welcomed Liverpool, Napoli, and Ajax to Glasgow. 

While it may have been a painful experience for the club and its fans, finishing as the worst-ever Champions League group side, there's no doubt that everyone will be looking forward to a better crack at it this year.

A £30million payday lies ahead if Rangers can manage to achieve just that, which would, of course, be a huge boost to the coffers at Ibrox, and potentially to Michael Beale's transfer budget.

READ MORE: Jose Cifuentes' salary revealed as Rangers transfer edges closer

But before they get such riches, they'll need to negotiate some tricky qualifiers at the start of next season.

Here are the dates you need to keep an eye on this summer.

Round three qualifying draw

The draw for the third qualifying round of the Champions League will take place on Monday, July 24. 

It will take place at the House of European Football in Nyon.

This will be the first stage Rangers will enter the competition at.

As things stand, Rangers could face Servette, Dnipro, Panathinaikos, Sturm Graz, or Union Saint-Gilloise - who they defeated at the same point last term.

The ties will be played on the midweek of August 8/9, with the return on August 15.

Play off draw

If Rangers can make it past any of the aforementioned teams, they will be just 180 minutes away from the group stages. 

The draw for the play-off games will take place on Monday, August 7. 

So, they will know their potential play-off opponents before they've even gone through their third-round qualifier. 

Similar to last year, PSV Eindhoven are a potential opponent for Rangers at this stage, along with Marseille and Serbian side FK TSC Backa.

The play off games take place on August 22/23, with the return legs seven days later on August 29/30. 

Group stage

Should Rangers reach the promise land like last year, the date for the group stage draw will take place on Thursday, August 31. 

The first matchday will take place on the midweek of September 19/20.

However, if Rangers were to fall into the Europa League if they lost either qualifier, then the draw for this competition's group stage will be held on Friday, September 1. 

The first match will take place on September 21, with the final held at the Aviva Stadium in Dubline next year.

Glasgow Times:

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