FCBARCELONA.CAT

23.10.2007 10:30

Rangers v Barça: Did you know…?

Roger Bogunyà

Records, precedents, statistics... We’ve brought together here a fascinating collection of facts surrounding tonight’s Glasgow Rangers v Barça.

- Glasgow Rangers and Barça have never met before in a competitive European match.

- Rangers and Barça are part of a select group of six teams that have won both of their opening two group matches in the Champions League. The others are Olympique Marseille, Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester United and Arsenal.

- Rangers’ 0-3 win away to Lyon was the first time a Scottish club had won an away match in the Champions League since the 2000/01 season.

- No player from either Barça or Rangers is suspended for this match. However, Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson is just one yellow card away from a suspension. If he receives one in this match, he will miss the game in the Camp Nou.

- If he plays, it will be Carles Puyol’s 80th European match. It will also be Frank Rijkaard’s 40th match as Barça coach.

- The Rangers squad includes 2 Spanish players, Nacho Novo and Carlos Cuéllar. Novo began his career with Huesca, before signing for Raith Rovers, Dundee United and, finally, Glasgow Rangers. Cuéllar has played for Calahorra, Numancia and Osasuna, from where he moved to Rangers this summer.

- Five Rangers players have played in all 6 of their team’s matches in the Champions League so far, including the qualifying phase: McGregor, Weir, Cuéllar, Ferguson and Hemdani.

- Both teams have scored 5 goals in their 2 Champions League matches, and in both cases 4 of the 5 goals have come in the second half.