Ferguson fit for Rangers

Rangers were handed a boost ahead of their Champions League opener against Stuttgart with the news that Barry Ferguson had been passed fit to play.

Ferguson was a doubt ahead of the match at Ibrox after aggravating a knee injury in training but took his place in the starting line-up, along with Brahim Hemdani, who has played in every European game this season but just one league match.

Charlie Adam was also back in the team for the first time since the visit of FK Zeta, while Jean-Claude Darcheville was given the role of lone striker.

DaMarcus Beasley, Kris Boyd, Amdy Faye and Daniel Cousin – who all started against Hearts at the weekend – were dropped to the bench.

Stuttgart were without the injured Thomas Hitzlsperger and Ludovic Magnin, who remained in Germany with a stomach bug.

Rangers: McGregor, Hutton, Cuellar, Weir, Papac, Hemdani, Whittaker, Ferguson, Adam, Thomson, Darcheville.

Subs: Carroll, Boyd, Novo, Beasley, Broadfoot, Cousin, Faye.

VfB Stuttgart: Schafer, Osorio, Tasci, Fernando Meira, Boka, Pardo, Hilbert, Khedira, Da Silva, Cacau, Gomez.

Subs: Langer, Beck, Farnerud, Ewerthon, Basturk, Marica, Pischorn.

Referee: Stefano Farina (Italy)