Rangers manager Walter Smith insists it will take "a great achievement" from his players to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup after their heroic elimination of Werder Bremen.

The SPL leaders carried a two-goal lead into the return leg and survived a major onslaught from the German giants to book their ticket to the last eight.

Smith revealed how much the success meant to him - especially after the disappointing exit from the Champions League.

"It's great that we got here now," he said.

"I think it is a great achievement by the boys that we are still in the competition, especially after we faced a lot of disappointment when going out of the Champions League like that.

"Reaching the quarter-finals means a lot to us. When we started out this season we had a new team but managed to get into the Champions League. After a good start we had a disappointing finish but we got over that disappointment.

"We're elated to be in the last eight. We worked very hard to do that. We've shown a lot of resilience and we've proven that we're a difficult team to beat. That's been our basis so we're looking forward to the next round."

Asked whether he would fancy his team's chances of winning the competition, Smith played down the prospect.

"I don't know," he said. "We'll see what we'll get from the draw. It will take a tremendous achievement from us to progress any further so hopefully we'll manage to do but we don't know.

"We're happy enough to just take what comes."

The Rangers boss was especially impressed by Allan McGregor whose saves kept the Ibrox side in the game.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper spectacularly diverted a close-range shot from Boubacar Sonogo against the crossbar in the closing stages.

"He has been extremely consistent and I think he is now living up to the potential he has always had even before I came back here as manager," Smith said.

"He's an extremely good goalie. He saved the game for us."

Next up on Sunday is the CIS Insurance Cup final against Dundee United.

"That is what the concentration is on now," Steven Whittaker added. "We are looking forward to Sunday and we'll just try to keep going. We'll just keep competing."

Captain Barry Ferguson insists Rangers will take on all-comers.

"We have knocked out two good sides and Werder Bremen were probably one of the favourites along with Bayern Munich," he said.

"We have done well to get through but we did the hard work at Ibrox and knew that they would have plenty of possession here.

"We don't fear anybody now."

Midfielder Lee McCulloch believed the game was heading for extra-time when Sonogo struck his close-range shot, and could hardly believe McGregor made the save.

"He is one of the main reasons we have managed to get into the quarter-finals," said McCulloch.

"Everyone thought it was going in. A few of us actually turned round to go back towards the halfway line.

"I was waiting for the linesman's flag to come up but it never did.

"It was a fantastic save and it summed up his night."

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