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You are here: Home News Bytes UEFA Champions League Preview: Rangers vs VfB Stuttgart

UEFA Champions League Preview: Rangers vs VfB Stuttgart

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The two teams with most work to do to qualify for the knockout rounds from UEFA Champions League Group G meet at Ibrox where victory is imperative for both Rangers FC and VfB Stuttgart.

Four of the eight games in the section have resulted in draws although Rangers looked to be heading for their first victory of the campaign on Matchday 4 when Lee McCulloch scored with an emphatic 79th-minute drive at FC Unirea Urziceni. However, Marius Onofraş struck with an explosive equaliser two minutes from time to leave Rangers at the foot of the table on just two points. Stuttgart, meanwhile, needed a late Zdravko Kuzmanović leveller at Sevilla FC to put them on three points, two behind Unirea-Urziceni.

Rangers will be without Pedro Mendes for this game, who is out with a thigh injury. So the Rangers midfield will in all likelihood comprise of Lee Mcculloch, Steven Davis, Kevin Thomson and Jerome Rothen. The biggest problem for manager Walter Smith this season has been the lack of goals from his front men. Nacho Novo, Steven Naismith, Kenny Miller and Kyle Lafferty among them have managed just 1 Champions League goal in 13 appearances between them. that trend would have to change if the Ibrox crowd are to witness a Rangers victory against Stuttgart. The Rangers defence hasn't feared any better with 10 goals conceded so far.

Stuttgart will be desperate to qualify for the knockout stages to keep their season going considering the fact that they are languishing in 16th position in the Bundesliga. Rangers have a formidable home record against German visitors, losing only two of the 21 competitive fixtures and Stuttgart will have to play out of their skins to keep their campaign alive. Julian Schieber and Pavel Pogrebnyak will in all probability lead the attack for Markus Babbel's men. The two strikers will be supported from midfield by Aleksandr Hleb and Thomas Hitzlsperger.

Stuttgart and Rangers played out a 1-1 draw on Matchday 1. Hosts Stuttgart took the lead through Pavel Pogrebnyak before Madjid Bougherra levelled for Rangers with 13 minutes remaining. But a similar result would not suit either side in this return fixture and you can expect it to be a thrill a minute ride with both desperate for a win.

Form Guide:

Rangers (Last 5 games played in all competitions, W-2, L-1, D-2)

Rangers 1-1 Hibernian
Dundee 1-3 Rangers
Unirea Urziceni 1-1 Rangers
Rangers 2-1 St. Mirren
Rangers 3-0 Kilmarnock

Stuttgart (Last 5 games played in all competitions, W-0, L-1, D-4)

SpVgg Greuther Fürth 1 - 0 VfB Stuttgart
Stuttgart 0 - 0 Bayern Munich
Sevilla FC 1 - 1 VfB Stuttgart
Borussia Monchengladbach 0 - 0 VfB Stuttgart
Stuttgart 1 - 1 Hertha Berlin



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