Footbo

Matchday 1 in Group G has finally approached, with a game that on paper looks pretty even. Rangers, the Scottish Champions take on a German side in VfB Stuttgart that finished a credible 3rd in the Bundesliga last year after a sterling finish to the season. Markus Babbel, the former Liverpool player has transformed a side that after winning the Bundesliga only 3 years ago has struggled to regain that kind of championship- winning form. Much of the side that Rangers faced 3 years ago in the same stage have been retained with the only major change being the departure of Mario Gomez to Bayern Munchen this summer for a staggering £30 million which has enabled Babbel to splash out on Pavel Pogrebnyak from Zenit St. Petersburg and Zdravko Kuzmanovic from Fiorentina.
Rangers are unbeaten in the SPL so far, but will have been disapointed with the goalless draw at Motherwell on Saturday where new signing Jerome Rothen made his debut in a match that left little to be desired. Walter Smith has had to make do with the same side that won the SPL title back from arch-rivals Celtic last season on the final day after 3 years of finishing 2nd. Both teams will be looking for 3 points to start the campaign off in style as Sevilla look to beat Unirea Urziceni in Spain.

Likely teams: VfB Stuttgart - Lehmann, Osorio, Delpierre, Tasci, Boka
                                                      Hilbert, Khedira, Hitzlsperger,Kuzmanovic
                                                        Pogrebnyak, Cacau

                          Rangers - McGregor, Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac
                                             Davis, Mendes, McCulloch, Thomson, Rothen
                                                                 Miller
My Prediction : VfB Stuttgart 1-1 Rangers