Rangers start without Moore and De Boer

Rangers return to the Champions League group stage for the first time in three years in a match that doubled as Stuttgart’s debut at this level.

Ibrox was buzzing with anticipation of getting a result against a side that had been knocked out of the UEFA Cup by arch-rivals Celtic last season.

But Felix Magath’s side arrived as runners-up in the Bundesliga last term - and had not conceded a goal let alone be beaten in any of its five fixtures so far.

Gers boss Alex McLeish named just two survivors from the last Champions League game at Ibrox, a 2-2 draw with Monaco on November 7 2000.

They were Michael Mols and Fernando Ricksen but McLeish was also able to call upon players with plenty of experience at this level, from goalkeeper Stefan Klos to new recruits Henning Berg and Emerson.

Summer signing Paolo Vanoli, who won the UEFA Cup with Parma, was handed his second start in a Gers jersey and Christian Nerlinger, the former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund midfielder, also started.

But the home side was without the injured Craig Moore, Ronald de Boer and Steven Thompson, and the latter duo’s absence put the onus on Shota Arveladze to continue a hot scoring streak that has seen him fire in six goals in his last five games, including three in two for Georgia last week.

Stuttgart were able to name influential defender Marcelo Bordon in the starting line-up despite pre-match fitness fears and up front the main dangerman was Kevin Kuranyi, who had been a thorn in Scotland’s side in a Euro 2004 qualifier in Dortmund last week.