Panathinaikos defend fragile stalemate

Rangers FC are looking to avenge an old defeat and know that a scoring draw at Panathinaikos FC will take them through to the UEFA Cup Round of 16.

• Rangers had the better of the chances in last week's first leg, with Nacho Novo passing up some presentable opportunities, but Panathinaikos coach José Peseiro was not entirely happy with the final score, saying: "It's 0-0 just now and that is a danger. I would have preferred a 1-1, a 2-2 or even losing 2-1 tonight to a 0-0 draw."

• The two sides met in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League group stage. A late goal from Pantelis Konstantinidis earned Panathinaikos a 1-1 draw in Athens, following Emerson's opener for Rangers and the dismissal of Ioannis Goumas.

• Itzhak Shum's Panathinaikos then denied Rangers a UEFA Cup place in the second leg, recovering from going a goal down to Michael Mols' effort to win 3-1, with Raimondas Žutautas, Angelos Basinas and Michalis Konstantinou scoring at Ibrox.

• Goalkeeper Allan McGregor was an unused substitute in both those games for Alex McLeish's Rangers, while midfielder Chris Burke played in the second leg.

• Current Panathinaikos player Nasief Morris started both legs with defender Goumas coming on as a substitute in the first leg and starting in the second. Forward Dimitris Papadopoulos also came on as a substitute in the first leg.

• Panathinaikos left-back Panagiotis Fyssas, who spent two seasons in Scotland with Heart of Midlothian FC, also played in the first leg of that tie. He moved on to SL Benfica and then Hearts, returning to Athens in the summer of 2007.

• In total, Rangers have now played seven games against Greek opposition, winning one, drawing three and losing three. Their three previous games in Greece have ended in a defeat and two draws.

• Their only games against Greek opposition under Walter Smith's management prior to the first leg against Panathinaikos ended in a 2-0 defeat away and a 1-0 loss at home against AEK Athens FC in the qualifying rounds of the 1994/95 UEFA Champions League.

• Having beaten Aberdeen FC 3-0 at home in this season's UEFA Cup group stage, Panathinaikos have now played four games against Scottish sides, winning two and drawing two. Their two home fixtures against Scottish Premier League opposition produced a win and a draw.

• Panathinaikos are unbeaten in their last seven European home games and have not conceded a goal at home in UEFA club competition in six matches.

• Rangers striker Jean-Claude Darcheville and Panathinaikos defender Joseph Enakarhire were team-mates at FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the 2006/07 season.

• Rangers qualified for the Round of 32 after finishing third in UEFA Champions League Group E. Panathinaikos finished second in UEFA Cup Group B.

• The aggregate winners will meet the victors of the tie between Werder Bremen and SC Braga in the Round of 16 on 6 and 12/13 March, playing the first leg at home. The German side won the first leg 3-0 at home.

• Rangers' Jean-Claude Darcheville is midway through a three-match suspension, while team-mates Charles Adam, Kevin Thomson and David Weir are within a booking of a ban. The same goes for Panathinaikos' Simão, Mikael Nilsson and Sebastian Romero.

• Winter UEFA Cup registrations
Rangers: In – Alexander Neil, Christian Dailly, Steven Davis.
Out – Roy Carroll, Alan Hutton, DaMarcus Beasley.
Panathinaikos: In – Filippos Darlas, Hélder Postiga, Manucho.
Out – Joseph Enakarhire, Stefanos Siontis, Sotiris Leontiou, Evangelos Mantzios.