Rangers need to keep themselves fit, and it may be that a 40,000 crowd at Ibrox tonight will feast on short rations as the Scottish champions complete the formality of removing FC Haka from the Champions League.
With a match against Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday and - freak accidents notwithstanding - a tie against Parma in the next Champions League qualifying round on Wednesday, they can afford to take their eye off the ball after last week's 4-1 first-leg win in Finland. Even their manager, Dick Advocaat, admits that avoiding injuries is at the back of his mind.
Although the season has hardly started, the usual list of those in the treatment room is longer than he would like. Neil McCann and Andre Kanchelskis are missing and may be for some time. Even Michael Mols, whose two stunning goals demoralised Haka, may not be ready for the return.
There is also a little matter of the Finns. When Rangers flew home last week, they were hailed in Finland as the best team ever to play in that country. But the headlines concentrated on the fact that their own team had played deplorably. Certainly, they are unlikely to be quite so feeble as they attempt to prevent a totally embarrassing aggregate scoreline.
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