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UEFA Champions League: Rangers ready for Porto [Tue Sep 13th, 2005]
Glasgow (AFP) - Rangers manager Alex McLeish says FC Porto will hold no surprises for him when they visit Ibrox in their opening game of the UEFA Champions League.
The Portuguese side are managed by Dutch coach Co Adriaanse, who masterminded AZ Alkmaar's 1-0 win over the Glasgow team in the UEFA Cup last season.
And McLeish, who has been busy studying the way Porto now play under their new manager, believes Adriaanse has modelled them on his old team.
This, according to the Rangers boss, can help his team's chances - as long as they remember the mistakes they made last year.
"I have been watching tapes of them constantly this week and doing some video work," McLeish said.
"Co has put a similar style into Porto as he did with AZ Alkmaar. He has wingers, a forward point and a man playing behind. And every one of them is adept with the ball.
"It has proved to be the most successful way to win tournaments at the highest level.
"Last season I knew how Alkmaar would play but despite our preparations and warnings of their movement, some of our players were still done by it.
"We are prepared for this game but the players must keep their discipline once they're on the park."
Though McLeish is hoping his team have learned from the defeat against Adriaanse's former side, few players who participated in that game are likely to start in Tuesday's Group H fixture.
Georgian Zurab Khizanishivili, French centre-half Jean-Alain Boumsong and English full-back Michael Ball have all left the club, German goalkeeper Stefan Klos has not regained his place from Dutchman Ronald Waterreus after recovering from a knee injury, while midfielders Alex Rae and Bob Malcolm, Danish forward Peter Lovenkrands and Trinidad and Tobago defender Marvin Andrews are likely to start the game on the substitutes bench.
Instead McLeish is likely to start with a defence of Greek international Sotirios Kyrgiakos, and Frenchmen Julien Rodriguez and Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan, while up front Croatian striker Dado Prso will be partnered by either Spaniard Nacho Novo or new signing Francis Jeffers.
Between defence and attack the Rangers boss will probably rely on a midfield five of Dutchman Fernando Ricksen, French-Tunisian Hamed Namouchi, Belgian international Thomas Buffel, and Scots Ian Murray and captain Barry Ferguson.
While most teams coming to Ibrox can expect a hostile reception from the Rangers fans, Porto's goalkeeper, Vitor Baia, expects his side to get a warm welcome thanks to their 3-2 victory over Celtic in the 2003 UEFA Cup Final in Seville.
And the Portuguese international is confident the friendly welcome can help them to take all three points.
Baia said: "I know the rivalry between the two clubs is fierce, so I'll expect great applause at Ibrox.
"It was a fabulous night for us in Seville and the word Glasgow brings back great memories, so I was delighted to get drawn against Rangers in the Champions League.
"It isn't every day your great rivals are denied a European trophy and I hope the Rangers fans remember that.
"But I'm convinced we won't lose in Glasgow. Rangers will play a lot of high balls which we aren't used to and I'll definitely have to work hard. But if we don't concede too many corners and free kicks we can win the game as we have more goalscorers in our side than them."
Porto will be without defender Jorge Costa and midfielders Raul Meirelas and Jose Bosingwa who are all ruled out through injuries.
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