UEFA Champion's League 2007/2008 - Group E

GROUP E - CLUBS

1. Barcelona (Spain)
2. Rangers (Scotland)
3. VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
4. Lyon (France)

GAME WEEK 1 - 18th/19th September 2007

Fixtures / Results

19/09/2007 - Barcelona 3 - 0 Lyon
19/09/2007 - Rangers 2 - 1 Stuttgart

Match Roundup
Lyon won't have been overjoyed to have been facing the 2006 European champions in their first group game in Barcelona and after being humped 3-0 at a canter they'll probably be best forgetting about the game altogether.

Rangers could easily have wilted under the pressure of being everyone's favourites to finish bottom of this season's "Group of Death" but a spirited performance at Ibrox against the German champions Stuttgart saw Walter Smith's men reach new levels and were duly rewarded with a 2-1 win, having came back from a goal behind.

GAME WEEK 2 - 2nd/3rd October 2007

Fixtures / Results

02/10/2007 - Lyon 0 - 3 Rangers
02/10/2007 - Stuttgart 0 - 2 Barcelona

Match Roundup
Rangers continued their unbelievable run in Europe with a 3-0 demolition of Lyon in France. Playing within their means and to a quick counter attacking tactic they repeatedly weathered the Lyon storm and broke to kill off the French champions in splendid fashion.

Stuttgart's campaign goes from bad to worse as Barcelona cantered to a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Carlos Puyol and man of the moment Lionel Messi. Two games, five goals, none conceded, six points, top of the group and they saw the Catalans are a club in disarray!

GAME WEEK 3 - 23rd/24th October 2007

Fixtures / Results

23/10/2007 - Rangers 0 - 0 Barcelona
23/10/2007 - Stuttgart 0 - 2 Lyon

Match Roundup

Rangers once again proved their European pedigree with a hard fought home scoreless draw against Spanish giants Barcelona. Despite Barcelona's multi-million pound attack trying to break the Rangers defence down, they could find no way through and the Scottish side almost nicked it themselves late on.

Stuttgart's hopes of qualification from Group E are effectively over after a third successive defeat, this time at home to Lyon.

GAME WEEK 4 - 6th/7th November 2007

Fixtures / Results

07/11/2007 - Barcelona 2 - 0 Rangers
07/11/2007 - Lyon 4 - 2 Stuttgart

Match Roundup

Rangers' luck finally ran out at the Nou Camp as the class of Barcelona shone through. Goals from Henry and Messi were enough to tame the Scots who can still be hopeful of making it into the next stage.

Lyon signalled their intent to resurrect their European season with a strong 4-2 win at home to Stuttgart. Two from Ben Arfa, one from Kallstrom and a late fourth from Juninho Pernambuca were enough to overcome Mario Gomez's two strikes for the German champions who remain bottom of the group.

GAME WEEK 5 - 27th/28th November 2007

Fixtures / Results

27/11/2007 - Lyon 2 - 2 Barcelona
27/11/2007 - Stuttgart 3 - 2 Rangers

Match Roundup

Juninho Pernambucano was Lyon's saviour again as he twice dragged the French champions back into contention and rescued a valuable point in their quest for second spot in Group E.

Rangers chances took a last minute knock with Stuttgart's winning goal but they remain on target for qualification with a do or die last game at home to Lyon.

GAME WEEK 6 - 11th/12th December 2007

Fixtures / Results

12/12/2007 - Barcelona 3 - 1 Stuttgart
12/12/2007 - Rangers 0 - 3 Lyon

Match Roundup

Barcelona had already secured their place in the knockout stages so their home game against certain bottom club Stuttgart was already a dead rubber. Rangers at home to Lyon however was a direct battle for the second qualification place and despite strong Rangers pressure throughout large parts of the game, the French champions were just too strong for their Glasgow opponents and, after taking an early lead, soaked up the pressure and finished Rangers off in the past ten minutes.

Barcelona and Lyon go through while Rangers fall into an increasingly tough looking UEFA Cup.