Smith fears backlash from Stuttgart
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Your support makes all the difference.A win for Rangers in Stuttgart this evening combined with victory for Barcelona in Lyons would guarantee the Scottish club progress to the knock-out stages of the Champion League, but their manager, Walter Smith, expects a tough night.
Stuttgart have not won a point in the tournament this season and know they are guaranteed the wooden spoon in Group E. But, with pride at stake, and an ominous rumble in Stuttgart's domestic form, Smith said last night that now is the worst time to arrive in Germany looking for a result.
"Their pride has been dented by the fact they have played four games and have no points in the Champions League," he said. "It will be a very tough game. Stuttgart showed in the first leg at Ibrox for an hour that they were excellent and we had to work very hard to nullify them." Stuttgart went 1-0 up but lost 2-1.
Rangers are guaranteed at least a Uefa Cup spot. Even if they lost tonight, they could make the knock-out stages – an "exceptional performance," Smith said – by winning their final game, at home to Lyons.
Smith has a fully fit squad and is expected to recall the European specialist holding midfielder, Brahim Hemdani, to a side that won 3-1 at Falkirk on Saturday.
Stuttgart continued their impressive domestic form with a 4-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend. Their four-match league winning run has coincided with the return to action of the former Aston Villa midfielder, Thomas Hitzlsperger, who said yesterday it has been "painful" to watch so many European reversals.
Stuttgart (possible, 4-3-1-2): Schäfer; Beck, Tasci, Delpierre, Magnin; Khedira, Fernando Meira, Hitzlsperger; Basturk; Gomez, Cacau.
Rangers (possible 4-1-4-1): McGregor; Hutton, Weir, Cuellar, Papac; Hemdani; McCulloch, Ferguson, Thomson, Beasley; Darcheville.
Referee: D Ceferin (Slovenia).
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