Red Star, Rangers battle for Champions League jackpot

Red Star Belgrade and Glasgow Rangers meet at the Marakana in a Champions League qualifier second leg. Serbian champions Red Star play host to Scottish league leaders Rangers this evening in the all-or-nothing second leg clash, attempting to overturn a one goal deficit from the first leg in Glasgow. Red Star, Rangers battle for Champions League jackpot For the winner, a place in the money-spinning UEFA Champions League worth several million Euros in TV money and bonuses, as well as the prospect of playing European giants, the likes of AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United; for the loser, the consolation of a place in the first round of the UEFA Cup. Team spirit in the two camps going into the match could not be more contrasting. While the Scots have got off to a flier in their own league, with maximum points from their first four matches, and scoring fourteen goals en route, not to mention a further three wins in Europe, Red Star have barely got out of the starting blocks. They have only mustered four goals from their first four outings, and are already on to their second manager of the season, Bosko Djurovski having resigned in the wake of a humiliating – although, ultimately not fatal - 2-1 defeat at the hands of Estonian champions, Levadia in the previous round. A sign of their turmoil is the fact that many commentators view their gritty performance in the scrappy 1-0 defeat at Ibrox Park two weeks ago as their best performance of the season so far. New manager, Milorad Kosanovic, is nevertheless upbeat going into tonight’s game: "Red Star has been waiting a year for this match. It’s going to be very tough, very similar to the match in Glasgow, but Rangers are a team Red Star can beat. We just have to be tough, aggressive, and attack more freely." Meanwhile, Rangers manager Walter Smith stressed the importance of scoring the potentially crucial away goal, which would leave the home side’s hitherto toothless attack needing to score three, a mammoth task under present circumstances. "We'll be doing a fair bit of attacking ourselves. There is an opportunity for us to snatch an away goal and that could be an important factor," said Smith. In team news, Kosanovic is likely to go with a front two of Raskovic and Djordjevic, with the still unfit Kuzan in reserve should goals be required in the second-half. Rangers, meanwhile are likely to start with one striker, the veteran Jean-Claude Darcheville, the man who so riled the Red Star defence in Glasgow, expected to get the nod ahead of Scotland international Kris Boyd, and the matchwinner from the first leg, Nacho Novo. A crowd of some 50,000 is expected for tonight’s match, with around 1,000 Scots thought to have made the trip. The match is scheduled to kick off at 20.00 CET. Bronowicki, Darcheville (FoNet)

Red Star, Rangers battle for Champions League jackpot

For the winner, a place in the money-spinning UEFA Champions League worth several million Euros in TV money and bonuses, as well as the prospect of playing European giants, the likes of AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United; for the loser, the consolation of a place in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

Team spirit in the two camps going into the match could not be more contrasting.

While the Scots have got off to a flier in their own league, with maximum points from their first four matches, and scoring fourteen goals en route, not to mention a further three wins in Europe, Red Star have barely got out of the starting blocks.

They have only mustered four goals from their first four outings, and are already on to their second manager of the season, Boško Đurovski having resigned in the wake of a humiliating – although, ultimately not fatal - 2-1 defeat at the hands of Estonian champions, Levadia in the previous round.

A sign of their turmoil is the fact that many commentators view their gritty performance in the scrappy 1-0 defeat at Ibrox Park two weeks ago as their best performance of the season so far.

New manager, Milorad Kosanović, is nevertheless upbeat going into tonight’s game: "Red Star has been waiting a year for this match. It’s going to be very tough, very similar to the match in Glasgow, but Rangers are a team Red Star can beat. We just have to be tough, aggressive, and attack more freely."

Meanwhile, Rangers manager Walter Smith stressed the importance of scoring the potentially crucial away goal, which would leave the home side’s hitherto toothless attack needing to score three, a mammoth task under present circumstances.

"We'll be doing a fair bit of attacking ourselves. There is an opportunity for us to snatch an away goal and that could be an important factor," said Smith.

In team news, Kosanović is likely to go with a front two of Rašković and Đorđević, with the still unfit Kuzan in reserve should goals be required in the second-half.

Rangers, meanwhile are likely to start with one striker, the veteran Jean-Claude Darcheville, the man who so riled the Red Star defence in Glasgow, expected to get the nod ahead of Scotland international Kris Boyd, and the matchwinner from the first leg, Nacho Novo.

A crowd of some 50,000 is expected for tonight’s match, with around 1,000 Scots thought to have made the trip. The match is scheduled to kick off at 20.00 CET.