Dick Advocaat, the Rangers manager, is hoping an inspiring mix of bruised limbs and bruised pride might propel his team closer to the second phase of the Champions League by seeing off the Turkish champions Galatasaray at Ibrox this evening.
Yesterday, though, Advocaat could scarcely have heard worse news when he discovered Giovanni van Bronckhorst is still out with a groin strain. The Dutch midfielder has been one of nine Rangers players out of action recently.
Advocaat and his men felt a uncommon sensation at the weekend when Hibs put the Scottish champions across their knees and dealt them a spanking. That 1-0 defeat at Easter Road left Rangers third in the Scottish Premier League, four points behind Hibs and six adrift of Celtic. Tonight Rangers must hope the old adage is correct about domestic toils foretelling greater success in Europe.
On Saturday Advocaat's more critical absentees, in addition to Van Bronkhorst, were Stefan Klos, Arthur Numan, Michael Mols, Ronald de Boer and Fernando Ricksen.
Klos will return tonight but with an ankle injury that will still require careful protection. "He certainly won't be able to take goalkicks," said Advocaat, giving an impression of an all-hands-on-deck scenario.
The Dutchman has added Marco Negri to his squad, although Allan Johnston, who limped away from Saturday's clash, is out with a broken toe.
Galatasaray will provide intriguing opposition. There was bad blood two weeks ago between Advocaat and the Turks' Romanian coach, Mircea Lucescu, who slagged each other in a feud that soon resembled a playground dispute over bubble-gum. After Rangers' stirring victory in Monaco, Lucescu got the better of Advocaat in Istanbul. Tonight, the Turks will also have their fiery talisman back.
Having played in over 1,000 competitive football matches, Glasgow is preparing to bid farewell to Gheorghe Hagi, who at 36 might be appearing in these islands for the last time. Hagi has just completed a two-match ban imposed by UEFA. Advocaat, however, has no doubt about his talent.
"He is a major influence on them and is not the sort of player we can mark," he said. "You can see very clearly the influence he has, wherever he chooses to play on the field.
"From our point of view, we have to use our home advantage. The players who come in because of our injuries also must want to show that they can do a job for us."
Victory for Rangers tonight would give them 10 points from four games and a very realistic chance of being involved in the tournament beyond Christmas.
RANGERS (probable): Klos; Reyna, Vidmar, Konterman, Negri Kanchelskis, Ferguson, Tugay, Albertz; de Boer, Dodds.
GALATASARAY (probable): Taffarel; Popescu,Korkmaz, Akyel, Buruk, Unsal, Hagi, Jardel, Davala, Sas.
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)
