McCoist doubtful for Rangers

The eyes of much of the world will be on Rangers as they attempt to exorcise last season's European traumas in the opening Champions' League encounter against Grasshopper Zurich tonight in a match that will be televised in some form in 198 countries.

Rangers did not win a game in the Champions' League last season, but their 10-3 aggregate win over Russia's Alania Vladikavkaz has lifted expectations of their reaching the last eight from a group which includes the Dutch club Ajax and Auxerre, of France.

"I want to make a better impression than last year and I feel overall we are stronger," their manager, Walter Smith, said from his team's Zurich hotel. "The scrapping of the three-foreigner rule gives us an advantage on last season for a start."

Ally McCoist is the only injury doubt for Rangers with the 33-year-old striker having a slight hamstring problem. If McCoist makes it, he will join Brian Laudrup and Gordon Durie in a side geared to attack alongside a midfield pair of Stuart McCall and Paul Gascoigne. Peter Van Vossen stands by for McCoist.

Grasshopper have not scored a goal in their last two league games but there is little doubt they have their sights set on Rangers. They beat Slavia Prague 5-0 at home and 1-0 away to reach the league section.

Their coach, Christian Gross, has nine players from Switzerland's Euro 96 squad to choose from, plus the Romanian international Viorel Moldovan, a summer signing, and the exciting 19-year-old midfielder Johann Vogel, a Liverpool target.