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Jiménez gets to top and bottom of it

Contrasting Group G campaigns come to a close for Sevilla FC and bottom side Rangers FC at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán with home coach Manuel Jiménez "sure we will get first place" in the section.

Jiménez gets to top and bottom of it
Jiménez gets to top and bottom of it ©UEFA.com

While Sevilla FC head into their final Group G game against Rangers FC needing just a point to finish top, visiting manager Walter Smith admits his side have nothing but "our pride and identity" to play for. The Scottish titleholders, beaten 4-1 at home by Sevilla on Matchday 2, have gone a club-record ten games in UEFA competition without a win and are guaranteed to finish bottom of a section dominated by Los Rojiblancos. Manuel Jiménez's side booked a place in the last 16 with two games to spare and know a draw secure top spot.

Manuel Jiménez, Sevilla coach
I'm sure we will seal first place. Thanks to the good job we've done we are very close. We should concentrate as if we get first position we will be in the mood to win more matches. Over the last month the players have played in four competitions and I am pleased with them. The same players must play every match due to injuries. Luis Fabiano had a medical test during half-time against Valladolid on Saturday, the doctors said 'he's OK' and he wanted to play and score more goals.

Walter Smith, Rangers manager
The team will play for our pride and identity. Money is important but for me it is more important that the team put out a good performance, better than we did in Glasgow. We played well from the first minute to the 60th in that match but then Sevilla scored. I hope Sevilla don't score early. They are probably the best team in the group by a long distance with maybe Stuttgart second. We have played better away than at Ibrox.

Weekend results
05/12/09 Sevilla 1-1 Real Valladolid CF
(Fabiano 45+2pen; Manucho 33)

• Despite having a numerical advantage for 52 minutes after Borja Fernández's dismissal, Sevilla's winless streak was extended to three games.

• Fabiano's equaliser was his 16th goal in 22 appearances this term, eight coming in the Liga. That is as many as he mustered in the Spanish top flight all last season out of a total of 30 goals, including 13 for Brazil.

• Jiménez's side are 12 games unbeaten at home, since losing 4-2 to Real Madrid CF on 26 April.

05/12/09 Falkirk FC 1-3 Rangers
(Moutinho 41; Boyd 17 36, Miller 74pen)

• Kris Boyd became only the second player to score 150 Scottish Premier League goals with his first at Falkirk. His second took him within seven of Henrik Larsson's record haul of 158.

• Rangers have not won in ten games in UEFA competition – their worst ever run – since beating Sporting Clube de Portugal 2-0 in the second leg of their 2007/08 UEFA Cup quarter-final tie.

Team news
Sevilla
Out: Luis Fabiano, Sébastien Squillaci, Federico Fazio, Lautaro Acosta (all ankle), Sergio Sánchez (cold), Tom De Mul (adductor), Adriano (stomach), Julien Escudé (broken nose)
Doubtful: Frédéric Kanouté (elbow), Aldo Duscher (hamstring)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Fernando Navarro

Rangers
Out: Pedro Mendes (thigh), Steven Naismith (hamstring)
Doubtful: Kris Boyd (thigh)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Steven Naismith

Background
• The 1-1 draw with Stuttgart on Matchday 4 spoiled Sevilla's unblemished record at home in the UEFA Champions League. Previously they had won all six games.

• During their successive UEFA Cup triumphs in 2006 and 2007, Sevilla lost just one of their 14 home games, winning eleven.

• Rangers have recorded two draws and seven defeats from nine trips to Spain. They failed to score in every game they lost.

Did you know?
Prior to Sevilla's 4-1 win on Matchday 2, the teams' previous meeting – the only other time Sevilla have faced opponents from Scotland – came in the 1962/63 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round. Sevilla won 2-0 at home but Rangers had scored four without reply in the first game.

For more information on the match in the official press kit, click here.