Rangers manager Walter Smith believes his players will be worthy UEFA Cup finalists if they can overcome Fiorentina on Thursday evening.Thursday will see Rangers play their 18th game in Europe this season when they take on the Serie A side in the second leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final.

The campaign began with Champions League qualifiers against FK Zeta and Red Star Belgrade, since when Rangers have faced a hectic run of European games alongside their domestic fixtures.

The UEFA Cup tie against Fiorentina is tantalisingly poised at 0-0 after the first leg in Glasgow, and Smith told Rangers News: "For all their effort, the boys deserve to go to the final now.

"They have worked exceptionally hard and it would be great if we could make it.

"It will not be easy but we have shown this season that we can score away and hopefully we can do it again."

Smith would love his players to unsettle Fiorentina at the Artemio Franchi stadium.

"I hope we can get to a situation where a certain amount of frustration does creep into their team but they have experienced enough players," said Smith.

Meanwhile, Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch is targeting the Scottish Cup final against Queen of the South on May 24 for his return from a foot injury.

McCulloch said: "There is no way I will be back in a couple of weeks or anything like that but my aim is to get 10 minutes in the Scottish Cup final at the end of the season."

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