I HAVE to be honest here, I didn't fancy Rangers' chances of progressing in the Uefa Cup when they played Panathinaikos, Sporting Lisbon and even Werder Bremen this season.

Walter Smith's side travelled away from home in the first of those two ties after failing to score in disappointing goalless draws at Ibrox in the first leg.

And even against Bremen, a team they were leading 2-0 after a fantastic result in Glasgow, I thought they would do well to get a result over in Germany and go through.

Do the maths . . . five wins equals 15 points and a title DESPITE losing the Old Firm game, Rangers' title destiny is still very much in their own hands. They have three games in hand on their Glasgow rivals and can go four points clear if they win them all. Of course, those matches will be hard with the injuries and suspensions they have. Legs get heavy at this late stage in a season. It is also unfortunate they will have to play two games in the week leading up to the Scottish Cup Final. But with so much to play for I am sure adrenalin alone will carry the Gers players through. They just have to roll up their sleeves and get on with it. There is no point feeling sorry for themselves. The Old Firm game is gone. Winning the league is the most important thing for Rangers this season. I actually thought, in the circumstances that the Rangers performance was good on Sunday. I expected them to go to Parkhead, sit back and defend for their lives as Celtic battered them. That just didn't happen. In the first half, they were by far the better side. They got the ball down and played some good stuff. I thought it was one of the best Old Firm games in years. The football on show was better than we have seen in a long time Celtic also have to win their last three games and, despite the result at the weekend, that will not be straightforward for them.

But these Gers players have surprised me, a lot of other people and probably themselves by doing so well in the competition and reaching the semi-final.

They face probably their toughest test to date in Italy on Thursday night when they take on Fiorentina for a place in the final in Manchester on May 14.

Their opponents, held to a 2-2 draw by Sampdoria on Sunday after a goal in the fourth minute of injury-time, are currently ahead of AC Milan in Serie A and are hoping to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.

But, as we have seen time and time again in a truly remarkable season, you just can't write Rangers off. I definitely think they are good enough to get the result they need.

The Gers players know they are just 90 minutes away from playing in a European final. They may never get another chance to do that in their careers.

Of course, they are going to have to defend very well to get the result they need. I have no doubt they will be up against it for long spells in the game. And they will have to try and break away and score themselves.

But they have shown before they know how to score on the road in Europe and can do so again.

And, having got a goalless draw last week, just one strike could make all the difference. It would mean Fiorentina have to score twice.

Fiorentina showed at Ibrox they are a decent team. They passed the ball about nicely at times even if they, too, often let themselves down in the final third.

Apart from a long-range free-kick, Adrian Mutu had a quiet match. However, the Romanian striker is definitely their danger man and has to be watched closely.

They will surely create a lot more chances on their own turf than they did in Scotland.

Their players will all be desperate to get to the final as well. It should be a fascinating clash.

Carlos Cuellar coming back into the side will be huge for Rangers, as will the return of Kevin Thomson and Barry Ferguson. They both missed the first leg. The team will be stronger than they were at Ibrox.

Jean-Claude Darcheville has been used as a lone striker by Rangers on the road in Europe a great deal this season and has done very well.

Yet, if I was Walter I would be tempted to start with Daniel Cousin in Florence. The Gabonese player has struggled a lot with niggly injuries this season and has never really been fully fit in my opinion.

But he started against Celtic on Sunday and showed he was at his best. He gave the opposition defence a torrid time and took his goal well. He brings a bit more height to the side than Darcheville does and is just as quick.

Nacho Novo did well against Celtic on Sunday. However, I think he will be dropped to make way for Thomson. I am sure, though, he will play his part. He has done well as an impact player this season.

Losing Davie Weir will be a big blow to Walter but it looks hopeful for Steve Davis, who is nursing a groin injury and undergoing extensive medical treatment.

Christian Dailly, of course, can slot in at centre-half for Weir. But I still think, whoever plays, they have a chance of reaching their first European final since 1972.

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A bitter taste of Murphy

I THOUGHT poor refereeing decisions cost Rangers in the Old Firm game on Sunday.

To be fair to whistler Craig Thomson, it wasn't all down to him. I felt his assistants let him down at two key moments.

Scott McDonald was clearly offside at Celtic's first goal. The referee is relying on his assistant in that situation and Tommy Murphy's flag stayed down.

Opening goals are vital in football. In Old Firm matches they are massive. It was a real knee in the groin for Walter Smith's side. Gordon Strachan's boys got a big break there.

The second occasion when the referee could have done with a helping hand from his assistant was at the penalty kick.

He was relying on his far side linesman to help him out. He didn't.

Kirk Broadfoot's challenge on McDonald was outside the box. His momentum took him inside the box. Those incidents cost Rangers two goals.

Steven Whittaker deserved to go off but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink could once again consider himself very lucky to stay on the park.

He was given the benefit of the doubt for his bad challenge on Nacho Novo 11 days ago.

His challenge on Amdy Faye on Sunday was worse. It was rash and dangerous. He was fortunate only to get a yellow card.

Thomson didn't have a good game. He got the major decisions wrong. That, at the end of the day, is what refereeing is all about.