Rangers make their first return to the scene of one of the most bittersweet triumphs in their history tonight, with the match against Barcelona in Camp Nou conjuring memories of the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup final. The Ibrox side claimed their solitary European trophy in Catalonia 35 years ago with a 3-2 victory over Dynamo Moscow.
What followed proved the first of several spats between Rangers and Uefa. The Scottish side were fined and handed a one-year European ban on account of their fans' over-exuberant celebrations. Even Willie Waddell, the then manager, openly castigated his support, labelling them "hooligans, louts and drunkards amid claims that two teenage girls were raped by several men wearing RANGERS TOPS.
Rangers' class of 2007 will have up to 20,000 travelling fans backing them tonight, despite the fact that the club's official ticket allocation was only a quarter of that number, a matter which has ensured Spain's anti-violence commission has classed this as a high-risk encounter. Riot police clashed with Rangers fans during a match against Osasuna in Pamplona in March. The Scots were also fined for sectarian chanting and an attack on the Villarreal team bus by supporters during their previous visit to Spain in March 2006.Again three men were stabbed,one had his throat cut from ear to ear but some how managed to survive.The reason for this indiscriminate attack was purely the fact that the men were catholics returning from evening mass during the lental period.
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