Duo doubtful for Gers

Posted Tuesday, September 29, 2009 by PA

Rangers are still waiting on the fitness of Steven Davis and Sasa Papac ahead of the Champions League visit of Sevilla.

Davis missed the goalless draw against Aberdeen through illness and Rangers will not know until Tuesday whether he and Papac (hamstring) will make the game.

However, Steven Smith will shake off the hip knock he picked up against Aberdeen to deputise at left-back if Papac is ruled out, while Pedro Mendes returns from suspension.

Walter Smith knows Rangers have to win games at Ibrox if they are to continue their European adventure beyond Christmas.

So the Light Blues boss is in no mood to play for a draw when Champions League top seeds Sevilla visit Govan on Tuesday night.

Rangers fans have endured three largely uninspiring goalless stalemates in their most recent Clydesdale Bank Premier League encounters, against Motherwell, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen.

Such a scoreline is hardly unfamiliar to the Ibrox faithful - five of the last seven European matches at the stadium have passed without a goal.

However, all but one of those was a knockout match in which Smith favoured a cautious approach to avoid losing an away goal.

The former Scotland manager has warned Rangers have to pick up victories at Ibrox if they want to play more knockout matches in Europe this season.

Victory over Stuttgart and a draw at home to Barcelona in their previous Champions League campaign gave them hope of making the last 16 until a 3-0 defeat by French visitors Lyon.

So the Rangers boss insists victory is a realistic aim against a team that won the UEFA Cup in both 2006 and 2007.

Smith said: "If we have any thoughts of progressing to the final stages of the Champions League, or the Europa League, we have to take advantage of our home games.

"So it's a game we go into knowing the level of team we are against but hopeful we can get a win. We are always hopeful we can get a win at home.

"We had a disappointment in the last Champions League section a couple of seasons ago when we lost at home to Lyon, but we had decent results against Barcelona and Stuttgart, so we're looking to do well.

"I think that's an important factor for us that we've got a decent home record.

"The game against Lyon was one where both the teams had to win.

"Lyon got the opening breakthrough, so we had to chase the game, which allowed them to hit us on the breakaway.

"They got a couple of late goals near the end, so it was a disappointing result but the performance overall was a decent one."

Didier Zokora and Fredi Kanoute insisted victory for Sevilla was far from a formality as they touched down in Glasgow ahead of the game.

The Spanish side are in red-hot form going into the Group G meeting at Ibrox having won their last five matches in all competitions.

But former Tottenham stars Zokora and Kanoute were not taking anything for granted.

Asked if Sevilla were favourites to win the match, striker Kanoute said: "No, no. I don't accept that."

Midfielder Zokora said: "I'm not sure because, in football, sometimes you play well, sometimes you play badly.

"But I know the game is very difficult because Glasgow (Rangers) have a big stadium, a lot of fans.

"Glasgow are the best team in Scotland."

But he added: "I think Sevilla is better than Glasgow!"

Kanoute, whose goal saw Sevilla lift the UEFA Cup on their last visit to Glasgow two years ago, said: "It's going to be hard obviously, but we're quite confident. Hopefully, we're going to do something good."

Zokora was expecting a physical game.

"Of course, because I know the (English) Premier League, I know the Scottish league and it's very aggressive," said Zokora, who is looking forward to being reunited with another former Spurs team-mate.

"But there are a lot of good players like Pedro Mendes. I know him and he's a very good player."

Zokora feels Sevilla, who only trail Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Primera Liga, are good enough to win the Champions League.

"Why not?" he said. "This year is very important for the club."