Player by player

THE men who will contest the 2008 UEFA Cup Final

Zenit St Petersburg

Founded: 1925
Ground: Petrovsky Stadium
Manager: Dick Advocaat
Captain: Anatoliy Timoshchuk
2007 league position: champions
Main sponsor: Gazprom (gas company)

Vyacheslav Malafeev
Just behind CSKA Moscow's brilliant Igor Akinfeev in the battle to be Russia's No.1 at Euro 2008, Malofeev, 29, is a great shot stopper with terrific agility, but has not enjoyed the greatest of starts to the latest domestic season.

Alexander Anyukov
Strong-running right back, who likes to overlap down the flank and who has a powerful long range shot. There are question marks over his fitness ahead of Wednesday. If he fails to make it, Fernando Ricksen will probably deputise.

Ivica Krizanac
Journeyman Croatian centre back, whose East European tour of duty included stints in the Czech Republic and Poland before signing for Zenit in 2005. Has been handed his chance along side Shirokov due to injury to Belgian Niko Lombaerts.

Radek Sirl
Left-sided midfielder who has been redeployed as a makeshift full-back to help patch up the gaps in defence. He looks born to the role and was voted the best left back in Russia last month. The consistent Czech has been at Zenit since 2002.

Roman Shirokov
Central midfielder by vocation, but recast in central defence by Advocaat whose back four options have been badly hit by injuries. Can also slot in at right-back. Brings the sensibilities of a playmaker to the rearguard, pushing up and spraying accurate passes.

Fernando Ricksen
Since two rammies with former Zenit captain Vladislav Radimov, the wild-eyed Dutchman has been relatively calm. Regarded as a utility man rather than a central cog. Troubled by injury and missed second leg v Bayern through suspension.

Anatoliy Timoshchuk
Holding midfielder and self styled 'Minister of Defence' (his blog title) is enjoying the finest spell of his career as captain and fulcrum of this Zenit team. The "best controller of team play in the world" according to Dick Advocaat.

Konstantin Zyryanov
Industrious late developer, who won his first cap last year and was named Russia's Player of the Year for 2007. Now 30, he is overshadowed by Arshavin in the creativity stakes, but can still be a potent force when supporting the forwards.

Igor Denisov
Former Russia youth team captain and another local-born player. A versatile and hardworking attacking midfielder, who can also play up front if needed. Admired by Advocaat and Guus Hiddink alike, Denisov, 23, is almost certain to win his first cap for Russia soon.

Viktor Fayzulin
An instant hit since signing for Zenit last December from Spartak Nalchik. The boy from Nakhodka – some 6,000 miles east of St Petersburg – has become a first team regular on the right of midfield and is already staking a claim for Guus Hiddink's Euro 2008 squad.

Vladislav Radimov
Hugely popular and long-serving player, tipped by Advocaat for a coaching role at the club. How Ricksen managed to fall out with this likeable character says much about the Dutchman's ability to pick his fights. Timoshchuk has replaced him.

Lee Ho
One of two South Korean internationals headhunted by Advocaat from his previous job in charge of the national side, he has failed to make the expected impact in Russia. Schooled at Cruzeiro in Brazil, he offers all the energy you'd expect.

Alejandro Dominguez
Argentinian attacker who moved from River Plate to Russian outfit Rubin Kazan in 2004 and was voted Russia's best foreigner in 2006. Stepped in for the suspended Arshavin against Bayern and delivered a high-octane performance.

Fatih Tekke
Signed for big money from Trabzonspor in 2006, the Turkish international will probably spearhead the attack due to Pavel Pogrebniak's suspension. A relatively peripheral figure under Advocaat, he is expected to head back to Turkey in the summer.

Andrei Arshavin
Local lad who burst into the team in 2000 and soon after established himself as its main creative force. The captain of his country, though not Zenit, he is the current golden boy of Russian football and Player of the Year in 2006. His versatility is a main virtue. Having started on the right, and then played as an attacking midfielder he finally adopted the shadow striker's role – though can still play all three, and has licence to wander. As Advocaat says, "he has the gift of being able to score when you least expect it." As the Dutchman also notes, he never gets injured: he was ever present in Zenit's title-winning campaign, scoring 10 and providing 11 assists. Since 2002, he has amassed 15 goals in the UEFA Cup. Also has a degree in fashion, and is a member of the St Petersburg legislative assembly.

Pat Nevin on Zenit's Tactics

Zenit have a massive problem in that their entire game plan is usually built round centre forward Pavel Pogrebnyak. He is big, skilful, quick, and powerful, with an eye for a goal, but he is also unavailable through suspension. He is usually the central figure in a 4-3-3 system that allows the two wide men and two of the midfielders to break forward leaving vastly experienced Anatoly Timoshchuk to cover any breakaways.

One of their favourite ploys is for Andrei Arshavin to come off the line and break powerfully to support and indeed go beyond the central striker. At 5ft 8in he isn't the tallest but he will personally carry the highest expectations now that Pogrebnyak, who he has a fine understanding with, is out.

The darting runs into the gaps between the oppositions midfield and defence are his stock in trade but he will be wasting his time trying that against Rangers because the two deepest midfielders will be sitting there waiting for him with a mob of defenders (see diagram).
He does however have two other weapons, a more than decent shot and the pace to get in behind defences. Even so, Carlos Cuellar is lightning quick and David Weir is intelligent, so the long-range efforts may well be his best bet, but Walter Smith will certainly be aware of this.
With the rest of the team shapes effectively cancelling each other out, it could be another long night of attrition with the spectre of penalties at the end of it all.

Rangers

Founded: 1873
Ground: Ibrox Stadium
Manager: Dick Advocaat
Captain: Barry Ferguson
2007 league position: runners-up
Main sponsor: Carling (brewers)

Neil Alexander
Thrust into the goalkeeper's jersey following the injury sustained by Allan McGregor at Celtic Park. The former Cardiff and Ipswich keeper has performed impressively, keeping Fiorentina at bay during both legs of the UEFA Cup semi-final.

Kirk Broadfoot
Since Alan Hutton's £10m move to Tottenham in January Broadfoot has been a regular at right-back. Walter Smith's decision to sign him last summer caused some raised eyebrows but the former St Mirren man has been solid enough.

Sasa Papac
Not a natural left-back – the Bosnian international prefers the centre of defence – but has made that position his own this season. Papac is the one Rangers signing made by Paul Le Guen who survived the managerial succession which saw Smith take over.

David Weir
A cornerstone of Rangers' success at home and abroad this season. Weir turned 38 yesterday and is an intelligent defender whose ability to read situations is without parallel in the SPL. Signed from Everton during the January transfer window last year.

Carlos Cuellar
The Spaniard was voted player of the year by the football writers, a fitting reward for his fine first season in the SPL. Cost around £2.5m from Osasuna but it has proved to be money well spent. His red card in the defeat by Celtic is his only blemish.

Steven Davis
His arrival from Fulham on loan in January barely registered but the Northern Ireland midfielder has proved to be a shrewd aquisition. Smith wants to sign him permanently but faces compeition from Newcastle and others.

Kevin Thomson
Walter Smith's first signing on his return to Ibrox, Thomson has flourished this season. An accomplished defensive midfielder who showed a rare glimpse of his attacking instincts when scoring a clever winner in the Old Firm league game against Celtic.

Brahim Hemdani
A European specialist under Smith, who has used the Algerian-born midfielder sparingly in the league. Provides a defensive midfield shield and has been an integral part of his manager's 4-5-1 formation in the Champions League and UEFA Cup.

Barry Ferguson
The captain and creative fulcrum of Smith's Rangers. Enjoyed arguably the best form of his career during the first half of the season but has found in his influence curbed by an ankle problem in recent weeks. Has been taking painkilling injections.

Steven Whittaker
A £2m summer signing from Hibs, Whittaker has been used more often in midfield at Rangers, rather than the right-back berth he occupied at Easter Road. Good on the ball, he scored a wonderful solo goal in the quarter-final second leg win over Sporting.

Nacho Novo
The little Spaniard has been deployed on the right side of midfield to great effect this season. His pace and predator's instincts have seen him score some important goals, and he has 14 in all competitions. Hit winning penalty in the shoot-out v Fiorentina.

Christian Dailly
Brought in on loan from West Ham United in January, his versatility has been vital as Rangers battled with injury and suspension. His career at Upton Park seemed to be petering out but the veteran has found a new lease of life at Ibrox.

Kris Boyd
A frustrating season for the striker with the best goals to games ratio in the SPL. Rarely a starter for Smith, but responsible for winning the League Cup when he came off the bench to twice equalise against Dundee United then score the winning shoot-out penalty.

Lee McCulloch
Hasn't played since injuring his ankle in the 2-1 loss to Celtic on 16 April but is on course to make a quicker than expected return to the squad. Can played up front or in either of the wide midfield slots and now has the chance of playing in two cup finals.

Jean-Claude Darcheville
In the absence of the suspended Daniel Cousin, Darcheville is odds-on to fill the lone striker's role against Zenit. Strong and fast, the former Marseille forward lacks Cousin's guile but has performed well in European this season, particularly in Lisbon in the quarter-final against Sporting. The one black spot was his red card against Lyon in the 3-0 home defeat which ended Rangers' Champions League hopes and saw Darcheville miss the first three UEFA Cup games through suspension. Such is the strength-sapping nature of being a solo attacker, expect Darcheville to be replaced around the 70-minute mark. Nacho Novo, Kris Boyd and Lee McCulloch could all come into consideration to fill the berth when the big Frenchman makes way, but none has his nous or physique for leading the line.

Pat Nevin on Rangers' Tactics

I can't imagine there is the slightest chance that Walter Smith will radically change the tactics that have got Rangers this far in Europe. The tried and tested 4-5-1 will stifle the Russian attacking threat just as it has with so many others across the continent.

This season Rangers have lost two goals in eight UEFA cup games and have had 12 clean sheets out of 18 in Europe so far, so the emphasis will be on notching up number 13. The only minor adaptation would be to start with two holding midfielders instead of one.

Brahim Hemdani would then be sitting in front of Carlos Cuellar and David Weir, but would also have either Kevin Thomson or Christian Dailly sitting in beside him. The expectation is for Zenit to have the bulk of the possession but they also prefer to play on the break. They should not get the chance to do that if Rangers adopt their usual strangulation tactics.

The out ball is usually to the loan striker, but Lee McCulloch on the left of midfield will also be pivotal if fit. Long high balls from anywhere deep to the Scotland midfielder on the touchline are a relief to the defence and an opportunity to build with an attack (see diagram).

His knockdowns can feed the loan striker but also give the chance for the likes of Barry Ferguson and Steve Davis to get forward now and again to pierce the opposition defence. This will be Rangers best chance to snatch a lead, which they are capable of defending with their lives until the middle of next week.