Contenders see confidence dented

Rangers
Rangers followed up their 1-0 defeat by Alkmaar on Matchday 4 with another disappointing result away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC on Sunday; a 1-1 draw allowing rivals Celtic FC to retain pole position. Manager Alex McLeish saw Danish winger Peter Løvenkrands join the list of casualties with a hamstring injury. Midfield players Hamed Namouchi and Stephen Hughes came into the starting lineup along with 19-year-old Steven Smith, making his full debut at left-back. Midfield player Alex Rae was rested, but entered the action after 31 minutes when French centre-back Jean-Alain Boumsong limped off with a dead leg. Namouchi was substituted at half-time with another youngster, 18-year-old Robert Davidson coming on, but Rangers could not build on Dado Pršo's 51st-minute equaliser.

Auxerre
Despite their convincing win against Amica on Matchday 4, Auxerre followed that with a goalless draw at home against FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Perhaps more disappointing was that captain Yann Laucher was forced off in the 32nd minute with a calf injury. Although the French club hope he will be fit in time for the final group game, Younes Kaboul (ankle), Lionel Mathis (knee) and Johan Radet (knee) will definitely not figure against Rangers. Two others, Philippe Violeau and Jean-Sébastien-Jaurès, are highly doubtful with a broken nose and muscle strain respectively. However, Finnish midfield player Teemu Tainio returned against Bordeaux after a virus.

Alkmaar
Alkmaar's tremendous run in the Netherlands continued after a 2-0 victory against ADO Den Haag on Sunday kept them five points behind leaders PSV Eindhoven. Martijn Meerdink opened the scoring after 16 minutes and substitute Ali Elkhattabi doubled the lead 17 minutes before the end. Experienced midfielder Michael Buskermolen was not available because of the knee injury he picked up on Matchday 4 against Rangers. Also absent was Finnish international Juha Reini, with the 29-year-old defender still struggling with an achilles problem.

GAK
Grazer have just two points from four domestic matches after conceding two goals in the last four minutes in losing 3-1 at SV Mattersburg. Midfielder Martin Amerhauser had levelled matters for his team but the Austrian champions were never really in contention. Fourth-placed GAK have just one match to come before the winter break against VfB Admira Wacker Mödling on Wednesday but have fallen away from the leaders and are eleven points adrift in fourth.