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UEFA Cup Final 2008 Betting – Zenit St Petersburg v Glasgow Rangers

UEFA CUP FINAL BETTING – ZENIT ST. PETERSBURG v GLASGOW RANGERS – MAY 14th

Glasgow Rangers

Walter Smith is ready to ditch the defensive tactics that led Rangers to the UEFA Cup Final. The Ibrox manager has vowed to adopt a more attack-minded approach, in a bid to take the game to Zenit St Petersburg. Rangers’ “safety-first” policy served them well on the road to Manchester with top sides such as Werder Bremen and Fiorentina edged out over two legs. However, Smith realises that a one-off showpiece requires a different approach and hopes that will prove the key to landing Rangers’ first European trophy since the 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup.

Barry Ferguson insists Rangers are only in the UEFA Cup Final because of the heroics of Allan McGregor. The keeper has been outstanding and Ferguson reckons the pivotal moment of the Euro campaign was in the away leg at Werder Bremen. 1-0 down, McGregor made a world-class save, blocking Boubacar Sanogo’s point-blank effort on 85 minutes. The goalkeeper’s efforts ensured Walter Smith’s side went through 2-1 against one of the tournament favourites.

Kevin Thomson used to fear his midfield partnership with Barry Ferguson was doomed but now reckons it can fire Rangers to victory in the UEFA Cup. The former Hibernian star, signed by Walter Smith for £2million, feels the pair now know how to complement one another. He said, “We had a rusty start in midfield. We had to learn how to play together, when to sit and when to go forward. But we’ve been learning plenty about each other in recent months.”

Zenit St. Petersburg

Ivica Krizanac finds it difficult to believe that he will meet up with Sasa Papac in the UEFA Cup Final, a decade after they set out on trial together. The pair were chasing a shared football dream in their early days, trying to secure deals in Bosnia. While their careers took different paths, a twist of fate will bring them together at the City of Manchester Stadium. The European showpiece will be the pinnacle of both players’ careers. Unsung hero Papac is a crucial part of Rangers’ resilient rearguard, which has been tested to the limit, yet stood firm to stay on course for an unprecedented “quadruple.” Krizanac is a similar defensive “rock” for Zenit St Petersburg, but only one of them can be a winner.

Outspoken Zenit star, Victor Faizulin, “lit the blue touch paper” ahead of the UEFA Cup Final by claiming that Rangers don’t deserve their place in the final. However, the Russian Under-21 star insists that he is pleased that Rangers reached the Manchester showpiece, as they will be easier opponents than Fiorentina. Faizulin said, “Rangers didn’t show anything at all against Fiorentina. It was unreal and the Italians should have qualified for the final. But I wanted to get Rangers because they will be easier. Rangers defend more than attack and will do the same against us. It’s hard to play teams like that and therefore it is vital we don’t lose the first goal.”
Rangers haven’t lost a goal in open play in Europe for more than 420 minutes, but Faizulin reckons that will change when they come up against Zenit’s star striker Andrei Arshavin.

UEFA CUP FINAL BETTING

Online bookmakers offer a variety of bets on the UEFA Cup Final, including:

Outright (to lift the Cup)
4/6 St. Petersburg (skybet), 11/8 Rangers(888sport).

90 Minutes Play
13/10 St. Petersburg (vcbet), 13/5 Rangers(bet365) 9/4 Draw (Stan James).

Win in Extra Time
9/1 St. Petersburg, 12/1 Rangers (both Boylesports).

Win on Penalties
9/1 St. Petersburg, 9/1 Rangers (both totesport).

First Goalscorer
7/1 No Goalscorer (Boylesports), 8/1 Andrei Arshavin (Ladbrokes), Jean-Claude Darcheville, Fatih Tekke (both William Hill), 9/1 Kris Boyd, 9/1 Alejandro Dominguez (both skybet), 10/1 Nacho Novo (Stan James), 12/1 Alan Gow (Ladbrokes), Alexey Ionov, Lee McCulloch (both William Hill), Steven Naismith (Paddy Power),
14/1 Charlie Adam (Stan James), DaMarcus Beasley (Ladbrokes), Thomas Buffel, Victor Fayzulin (both Paddy Power), Barry Ferguson (888sport), 16/1 Igor Denisov (Ladbrokes) Konstantin Zyrianov (skybet), 18/1 Chris Burke (Paddy Power), 20/1 BAR.

Correct Score Betting

1-0, Rangers, 7/1 (Paddy Power), St. Petersburg, 13/2 (vcbet)
2-0, Rangers, 17/1 (Paddy Power), St. Petersburg, 9/1 (Stan James)
2-1, Rangers, 12/1 (Ladbrokes), St. Petersburg, 17/2 (William Hill)
3-0, Rangers, 66/1 (Ladbrokes), St. Petersburg, 25/1 (William Hill)
3-1, Rangers, 50/1 (Ladbrokes), St. Petersburg, 20/1 (William Hill)
3-2, Rangers, 45/1 (Paddy Power), St. Petersburg, 33/1 (William Hill)
4-0, Rangers, 225/1 (Paddy Power), St. Petersburg, 80/1 (vcbet)
Others on application.