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The formality of beating one set of hoops, again, is now out of the way so we now turn to another set of hoops from Lisbon. I'd imagine green and white of Sporting will prove a tougher nut to crack than their green and grey counterparts across the city. This is a biggy for us. It's been a long time since we've taken part in a European quarter final.
Sporting aren't having the best of seasons but are now at least within touching distance of the Guimaraes and Benfica who are 4 points ahead- all a long way behind runaway leaders Porto. Setubal's win tonight brings them within a point of Sporting so they are looking in all directions at the moment in the Superliga. Sporting notched up a rare 3:1 win away to Naval at the weekend but the home side only have 3 league wins at home all season so it's not much of an indicator.
Sporting have saved their best performances for home. In the league they are unbeaten with 8 wins and 3 draws from their 11 home games. Since the turn of the year though they have lost 4 league games on the road. Interestingly they seem to struggle to score in their away matches usually losing those 0:2 Boavista, 0:1 Belenenses, 0:1 Setabul and 0:2 Guimaraes. When they lose they don't usually lose by much though so we will find them hard to break down- especially in the formation we employ. I'd expect if things are not going our way we will switch to a 4-4-2.
Like Rangers Sporting got here after finishing 3rd in the their Champions League group- Roma and Manchster United finished above them. That was obviously a difficult group as those two sides contest a Champions League semi final tomorrow against each other again. Sporting finished on 7 points with 6 of those coming from 2 victories over Dinamo Kiev who finished with no points at all. The other point came in a 2:2 home draw with Roma.
Against Basel though in the UEFA Cup they were very impressive. They won both legs with a 5:0 aggregate score. Iin the round of 16 they had probably the easiest draw. Not that Bolton are a push over, Atletico will testify to that, but Bolton fielded a second string side in the away leg and Sporting scraped through 2:1 on aggregate.
They are a good side without a doubt and obviosuly technically better than we are. But we do have a good record against Portugese sides. We knocked out Maritimo not so long ago and took 4 points from 6 from Porto in the Champions League. I don't believe Sporting are as good a side as Bremen but do think these games will be tighter.
I'd rather we took a lead over to Lisbon but on this occassion I don't actually think it's a disaster if we don't. I think we are capable of scoring over there and maybe going through the same way as against Panathinaikos if we finish the first leg level. Setting up the way we do at home that is a distinct possibility. It might take a little bit of luck and the full house if we are to win the first leg.
I can't imagine Walter will deviate too much from the team that won at a canter in the Old Firm derby. Thomson is obviously a concern and if Papac is over his illness I'd expect him to start ahead of Whittaker. Hemdani, who was sent home midweek from the Algerian squad with sore baws, may come into play as well.
Probably the clean sheet is more important than the win here. I never thought I would say that but in this match I think it is. Over the two games I don't see there being many goals so if we get any at Ibrox it will be a bonus.
Sporting aren't having the best of seasons but are now at least within touching distance of the Guimaraes and Benfica who are 4 points ahead- all a long way behind runaway leaders Porto. Setubal's win tonight brings them within a point of Sporting so they are looking in all directions at the moment in the Superliga. Sporting notched up a rare 3:1 win away to Naval at the weekend but the home side only have 3 league wins at home all season so it's not much of an indicator.
Sporting have saved their best performances for home. In the league they are unbeaten with 8 wins and 3 draws from their 11 home games. Since the turn of the year though they have lost 4 league games on the road. Interestingly they seem to struggle to score in their away matches usually losing those 0:2 Boavista, 0:1 Belenenses, 0:1 Setabul and 0:2 Guimaraes. When they lose they don't usually lose by much though so we will find them hard to break down- especially in the formation we employ. I'd expect if things are not going our way we will switch to a 4-4-2.
Like Rangers Sporting got here after finishing 3rd in the their Champions League group- Roma and Manchster United finished above them. That was obviously a difficult group as those two sides contest a Champions League semi final tomorrow against each other again. Sporting finished on 7 points with 6 of those coming from 2 victories over Dinamo Kiev who finished with no points at all. The other point came in a 2:2 home draw with Roma.
Against Basel though in the UEFA Cup they were very impressive. They won both legs with a 5:0 aggregate score. Iin the round of 16 they had probably the easiest draw. Not that Bolton are a push over, Atletico will testify to that, but Bolton fielded a second string side in the away leg and Sporting scraped through 2:1 on aggregate.
They are a good side without a doubt and obviosuly technically better than we are. But we do have a good record against Portugese sides. We knocked out Maritimo not so long ago and took 4 points from 6 from Porto in the Champions League. I don't believe Sporting are as good a side as Bremen but do think these games will be tighter.
I'd rather we took a lead over to Lisbon but on this occassion I don't actually think it's a disaster if we don't. I think we are capable of scoring over there and maybe going through the same way as against Panathinaikos if we finish the first leg level. Setting up the way we do at home that is a distinct possibility. It might take a little bit of luck and the full house if we are to win the first leg.
I can't imagine Walter will deviate too much from the team that won at a canter in the Old Firm derby. Thomson is obviously a concern and if Papac is over his illness I'd expect him to start ahead of Whittaker. Hemdani, who was sent home midweek from the Algerian squad with sore baws, may come into play as well.
Probably the clean sheet is more important than the win here. I never thought I would say that but in this match I think it is. Over the two games I don't see there being many goals so if we get any at Ibrox it will be a bonus.
