Tense times for optimistic trio

Emotional encounter
Rangers, on six points, have home advantage for the game with Auxerre and are likely to welcome back Jean-Alain Boumsong for the decisive encounter after the French defender recovered from a dead leg. With only a point required to confirm progress, Boumsong admits the game against the side he left in the summer will be emotional, saying: "I will be coming up against so many of my old friends, but I have to be professional. When the game starts my only thoughts will be to help Rangers progress."

Lachuer loss
Auxerre have four points and lie third, level on points with GAK. Guy Roux must manage without playmaker Yann Lachuer due to an ankle injury, while Johan Radet, Younes Kaboul and Lionel Mathis have all remained in France.

Dangerous opponents
GAK know that only victory against in-form Alkmaar will guarantee progress and, having studied videos of the Dutch side's 1-0 win against Rangers on Matchday 4, Walter Schachner is in confident mood. "AZ are a perfect team and very dangerous," said the GAK coach. "But we know how to beat them. I trust in my team and they trust in a victory."

'Go for it'
Alkmaar have won their last 12 matches, climbing to second in the Eredivisie, but are without attacking midfield player Martijn Meerdink and Spanish defender José Fortes Rodríguez, who will not be selected for disciplinary reasons. Coach Co Adriaanse is determined to clinch the section, saying: "We will go at full speed. For GAK it is the match of the year, and they expect a sell-out crowd of 15,000 spectators. But we will also go for it."