March 15, 2008 2:35 PM
SOURCE:
goal.com
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Rangers handed a Sporting chance in UEFA Cup last eight
Rangers, the only British club still in business, will face Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals while favourites Bayern Munich take on Spanish debutants Getafe.
The last eight draw made here Friday also pitted Serie A side Fiorentina, who knocked Everton out on penalties on Thursday, against PSV Eindhoven, who meted out an identical punishment to Tottenham.
The Ibrox club secured their place in the last eight after defeating German outfit Werder Bremen 2-1 on aggregate.
And Rangers chief executive Martin Bain is confident they can go all the way.
"We have nothing to fear and it's all about enjoying it," said Bain.
"Sporting are a club with a decent heritage and I'm sure Walter Smith will be taking them extremely seriously," he said.
"At this stage of the competition, all the teams are of a similar level, but we have had a good European campaign.
"We came up against the best team in the Champions League and narrowly missed out on qualification.
"Then we played the second-placed team in the Bundesliga and we managed to see them off."
Rangers owe their continued existence in Europe's second club competition to a 2-1 aggregate win over Werder Bremen in the last round.
If the Scottish giants are to make the semi-finals they will have to overcome Sporting Lisbon, the losing finalists in 2004/05 and the club that did it for Bolton in the last 16.
He added that Rangers were delighted to be competing for four trophies at this stage of the season.
The remaining quarter-final sees Bayer Leverkusen, who with Bayern are the only former winners, up against Zenit Saint Petersburg.
If Bayern and Bayer both progress they could meet in an all-German semi-final.
Getafe coach Michael Laudrup warned that they would be gunning to continue their giant-killing skills against Bayern.
"I think that Bayern are the tournament favourites," he said.
"What more could we ask for? We have the chance to play against the favourites. If it ends there it couldn't have finished better."
This year's final is being held at the City of Manchester Stadium on May 14.
