I've been following the "one game at a time" mantra, so far but there is the small matter of an Old Firm derby at Celtic Park on Sunday.

This is a BIG four days for Rangers.

A peep of the whistle from German referee Tobias Stieler and we're up and running.

Billy Dodds
Former Rangers striker on Sportsound

There's a 3G pitch at the Neftyanik Stadium, which is a classic Russian stadium - a partially covered bowl, with a running track.

"It's the same for both teams and Rangers have experience of these surfaces in our domestic league," said Steven Gerrard.

"I think it's three teams that use artificial surfaces and we also have an artificial surface at the training ground so this is not the first time for my players. We have many times played on plastic surfaces so we don't see it as a problem."

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FC Ufa: Belenov, Zhivoglyadov, Tabidze, Nedelcearu, Alikin, Paurevic, Salatic, Jokic, Vanek, Sysuev, Igboun.

Substitutes: Shelia, Carp, Zaseev, Tumasyan, Sukhov, Krotov, Oblyakov.

Rangers: McGregor, Goldson, Tavernier, Katic, Flanagan, Ejaria, Jack, Candeias, Arfield, Kent, Morelos.

Substitutes: Foderingham, Wallace, Umar, Halliday, McCrorie, Lafferty, Middleton.

Time for a quick recap of the first leg.

We only got one goal at Ibrox last week and it came late in the first half when defender Connor Goldson stabbed in from close range after an Alfredo Morelos header - from a Ryan Kent corner - had been blocked on the line.

Rangers upped the tempo after the break but could not find a second goal.

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Steven Thompson
Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

Hands up if you'd never heard of Ufa until they were drawn to face Rangers... Me too.

The club was only formed in 2011 but they have made rapid progress through the ranks, winning promotion to the top flight within three years. They finished sixth last season on the back of impressive home form and qualified for Europe after the cup winners FC Tosno suffered a financial collapse.

Former Rangers winger Andrei Kanchelskis was their first manager but did not last long.

Sergei Tomarov, 36, is in the hot-seat now, following the departure of Sergey Semak to Zenit St Petersburg.

The rookie boss has steered the team through two rounds of qualifying in the Europa League thanks to an away goal against Domzale in Slovenia and a stoppage-time goal against Proges Neiderkorn in Luxembourg and they sit 14th in the 16-team Russian Premier League with just one win from five outings.

On the back of three straight defeats, Tomarov said: "We're looking forward. We'll do everything to win against Rangers."

Rangers remain unbeaten in 11 games under Steven Gerrard and they have yet to concede a goal in three previous trips away from home in Europe. Another blank will do nicely for the visitors this afternoon.

There were a couple of sticky moments against Maribor in the last round but goalkeeper Allan McGregor kept out a stoppage-time penalty and made a quite ridiculous point-blank save earlier in the game.

Of the 94 teams who entered first-round qualifying back when the World Cup was still going, Rangers are one of eight teams still standing.

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Rangers have a winning record against Russian opponents, their most famous triumph coming against Dinamo Moscow in the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup final.

The most recent meeting was another final but it didn't go so well, with Zenit St Petersburg coming out on top in Manchester in 2008 to lift the Uefa Cup.

Overall, the record against teams from Russia is six wins, two draws and two defeats.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard was his usual calm, collected self at yesterday's media conference and he wants his players to keep cool heads too.

"The journey we have been on has been about this moment," he said. "We've worked so hard and put a lot of effort in to get this chance, I just hope the players seize this moment.

"I want them to play relaxed and play the way they have done in the previous seven games.

"We've had massive occasions against Skhupi, Osjek and Maribor and the players have done ever so well. The challenge gets harder the closer you get to where you want to be, but we have proved we can go into these environments and perform. That's what gives me confidence."

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Following Sunday's 3-3 thriller away to Motherwell, manager Steven Gerrard makes three changes.

As expected, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Daniel Candeias return, with Andy Halliday and Kyle Lafferty dropping to the bench, while Borna Barisic is cup-tied.

It's the same side from the first leg and a 4-3-3 formation after the 3-5-2 experiment at Fir Park.

Rangers XI: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Flanagan, Jack, Ejaria, Arfield, Candeias, Kent, Morelos.

Full line-ups to follow.

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Dosvedanya...

Rangers are in the Republic of Bashkortostan aiming to seal a place in the group stage of the Europa League.

Steven Gerrard's men take a 1-0 lead with them on a 3,000 mile journey to meet Russian newcomers Ufa, who are taking their first steps in continental competition this season.

Will the Ibrox side make it through to Friday's Europa League group draw in Monaco?