Champions League preview: Rangers v Unirea Urziceni – Boyd & Bougherra miss out
Published: October 20, 2009
After a 1-1 draw in their first game of their Champions League campaign against Stuttgart and a 4-1 thumping from La Liga side Sevilla, Rangers sit bottom of Group G and face Romanian minnows Unirea Urziceni tonight at Ibrox looking to kick start their campaign.
Unirea like Rangers, only have one point after two games, and both sides cannot afford to lose tonight’s game, if they have any hope of reaching the first knock out round.
Weekend Action
There was mixed results for both sides at the weekend. Unirea travelled to Scotland on the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Vaslui, although they surely had one eye on tonight’s game. Meanwhile Rangers beat St. Johnstone 2-1 to move them top of the table ahead of rivals Celtic. However the performance was poor and if they take that form intotonight’s game they could be punished by Dan Petrescu’s men.
Rangers News
Walter Smith is without Algerian defender Madjid Bougherra after he twisted his knee during Monday’s final training session at Murray Park. Pedro Mendes returns to the team after being rested at the weekend due to a thigh injury.
Rangers striker Kris Boyd, who scored at the weekend, has been dropped once again for the Champions League and must be thinking to himself what can he do to earn a start in the Champions League this season under Walter Smith. It means that Kenny Miller will once again be deployed as the lone striker, helped by Steven Naismith and Jerome Rothen, who will be employed on the wings in a flexible 4-5-1 formation.
Rangers Line-up:
McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, McCulloch, Papac; Davis, Thomson, Mendes; Naismith, Rothen, Miller.
Unirea News
Giedrius Arlauskis should keep his place in goal for Dan Petrescu’s side after returning against Vaslui at the weekend. Marius Onofras opened the scoring in the weekend defeat, bu he will likely start from the bench in favour of Serban Dacian Varga, who was rested after international duty.
Romanian internationalists Iulian Apostol and Vasile Maftei were given the weekend off also following the international break, but are expected to start tonight.
Summer signings Daniel Munteanu and Laurentiu Marinescu are both unavailable after not being registered by Petrescu in their Champions League squad.
Unirea Line-up:
TBA
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