THE Russian champions, Alania Vladikavkaz, will arrive in Glasgow this afternoon still concerned about the lapses made by their keeper, Zaur Khapov, against Liverpool in last season's UEFA Cup.
Khapov's blunders in Alania's home game against the Anfield side were enough to send the men from the football outpost, which lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, tumbling out of Europe last season.
Now, as champions of their vast country, they want to do better against Rangers, and yet there remain doubts over the ability of Khapov to hold his nerve against another British team.
The Alania coach, a former Russian internationalist, Valery Gazzayev, apparently remained unforgiving and has slammed Khapov on the eve of the team's departure for Scotland and the Champions' League qualifying first-leg game.
``We did not deserve to go out last season when we played Liverpool,'' said Gazzayev, ``and I believe that we showed a higher standard of play than the English team. But, as everyone knows, our goalkeeper let us down badly. It was his fault that we did not go further in the UEFA Cup.
``I still do not know if he has recovered his nerve enough to have the courage to face another team from Britain. After all, the Scottish players, like the English, stick to the same football principles and it is unlikely that Khapov will be able to fully forget his mistakes from the game against Liverpool.
``On the other hand, I don't want to say too much about the problems because that would perhaps have Khapov develop a British syndrome and that would damage him and the team.
``What we must do before the game is try to find out the depth of any problem he may still have.''
It is clear that the worries over Khapov - blamed for the 2-1 defeat in the game in Vladikavkaz - still hang over the club who won the Russian title for the first time last season. They retain hope that they can repeat their Anfield result - a 0-0 draw - and then improve on their home performance if Khapov can handle the pressure.
As for Rangers, Gazzayev insists: ``I would have preferred to have Paul Gascoigne playing to allow our people to see such an international class player, but I am happy as coach that he will not play. It will make the match easier for us.
``However, while Gascoigne is missing, Rangers still have Brian Laudrup, another international star who is able to perform the unexpected which destroys opposing defenders. He is a major player in European terms.
``Rangers are a well-balanced team and they belong to the European elite and the players they have and the new players they have signed in the summer underline that.
``But they should not think that this game will be a walk-over for them. It won't be. We are determined to take this opportunity to play in the Champions' League.''
Gazzayev insists that his team, who have taken over the power base of Russian football from the Moscow clubs, make no changes in their formation and yet hints: ``We may make some amendments this year because of our experience of the two-game strategy against Liverpool.''
Rangers will be prepared for that. Assistant manager Archie Knox watched the Russians at the weekend and will provide manager Walter Smith with his report today.
However, Smith has talked to Liverpool manager Roy Evans and been given valuable information on the opposition - including, no doubt, special mention of the luckless Khapov.
Smith's long-term problems are well documented. He dwelt on these only briefly yesterday, simply confirming that Alan McLaren, David Robertson, and Craig Moore will be out through injuries and Paul Gascoigne because of suspension.
As for the other worries they appear to be clearing. Smith explained: ``Ian Ferguson will be in the squad after training this morning and, while Erik Bo Andersen had a precautionary X-ray on a foot injury, he, too, should be all right.
``Richard Gough and Ally McCoist did not do all the training this morning because of slight knocks picked up against Arsenal on Saturday, but we think they should be OK for the game.''
Smith indicated that his team selection will be very close to the side which performed so impressively against Arsenal. One position which does give him some cause for thought is the right wing back area, where Trevor Steven played at the weekend.
Said Smith: ``When I moved to this system I felt that Trevor was the ideal man for that wide role, but injury prevented him playing any real part last season. Now he has looked comfortable there but it may be asking a lot of him to play a full 90 minutes at this very high level when he has had just two games so far this season - and not even full games at that.
``Alex Cleland is also in the squad and it will be between the two of them.''
The rejuvenated Dutchman, Peter van Vossen, has also made his challenge for a place and, with the restrictions on foreign players being relaxed, he seems sure to feature at some stage.
Rangers may be handicapped by the fact that they are being forced to play a side whose match fitness is so much higher than their own - the Russians are well into their season and Alania top the first division - but they will not be hampered by any limit on their foreign players as they have been in the past.
Football today
UEFA Cup. Qualifying round. First leg - Budapest Vasutas FC v Barry Town (5.30), FC Kosice v Celtic (4pm), Zalgiris Vilnius v Aberdeen (4.30).
FRIENDLIES - Armadale Thistle v Whitburn, Blackburn United v Plains, Livingston United v Alloa Athletic XI.
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