Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Rangers and Sporting Lisbon's Europa League last-32 first leg at Ibrox, kick-off at 8.05pm both UK and Portuguese time.

Rangers having more of the ball than Sporting, who are trying to press higher up the pitch.

The home fans are in fine song as this match gets into a quick start, Rangers knocking it upfield for Diouf.

The first half is underway!

Sergio on the game: "Being a knockout game, it's very important. Usually the weaker teams look at these games with fear, but we can't look at the game with fear, we need to be motivated."

Sporting Lisbon coach Paulo Sergio has played down suggestions of a bust-up with Simon Vukcevic. There were reports of a row at half-time in a league game, but the boss insisted his player was unable to take to the field because of an injury.

Smith on fixture congestion: "You always have to face that with the European games. We faced big games in the first half of the season after playing in the Champions League so we've got to face up to it."

Rangers boss Walter Smith: "If Sporting are in a crisis then so are we! They're very dangerous going forward but we're confident we can get a result."

SPORTING TEAM NEWS: A big blow was the loss of star striker Liedson in January, who decided to go back to Brazil and join Corinthians. He had scored 10 goals this season. Two former Premier League midfielders - Maniche and Pedro Mendes - start for Lisbon.

RANGERS TEAM NEWS: So Naismith doesn't make the starting XI but he is on the bench, Whittaker chosen instead. Otherwise no surprises as ElHadj iDiouf makes his European debut for Gers.

Sporting team: Patricio, Pereira, Evaldo, Carrico, Anderson, Mendes, Mainche, Zapater, Cristiano, Djalo, Postiga; Subs: Santos, Salomao, Tiago, Andre, Saleiro, Fernandez, Vukcevic

Rangers team: McGregor, Foster, Papac, Bougherra, Weir, Edu, Davis, Whittaker, Weiss, Diouf, Lafferty; Subs: Alexander, Hutton, Bartley, Ness, Naismith, Fleck, Healy