Chelsea were given an ominous taste of the hostile atmosphere which they will have to endure against Galatasaray tonight as they were welcomed to the "inferno" in Turkey.

Gianluca Vialli's side emerged from Ataturk airport in Istanbul to be met by about 250 Galatasaray fans shouting abusive chants at them.

Riot police kept the supporters back behind barriers but a handful of stones were still thrown close to the team coach and flares were lit to envelop the players in smoke.

However, the well-choreographed reception committee never threatened to escalate out of control and boss Gianluca Vialli insisted that the club had no cause for complaint at a `welcome' which is now expected by visitors. Chelsea have even arrived with a cheque to be presented to the Turkish earthquake disaster fund but much worse intimidation is still likely to await them inside the stadium and one banner warned: "Relax - hell is waiting for you."

Chelsea need at least a draw from this fixture but should not worry - this sort of welcome is becoming so commonplace for visiting teams it loses its edge.

Vialli insisted that his players' experience would enable them to handle the abuse which will surely be heaped upon them as it was on Manchester United on previous visits to Istanbul.

"There is nothing wrong with having passionate and warm support from your fans but all the Chelsea players have been playing around Europe for many years so I don't think it will be a problem," he maintained.

One player who is likely to suffer more than anyone else - apart from defender Jes Hogh, who used to play for local rivals Fenerbahce - is captain Dennis Wise when he takes corners for the team.

Wise's notoriously unreliable temperament was again exposed at the weekend when he was sent off for the ninth time in his Chelsea career for striking Liverpool winger Vladimir Smicer with his outstretched arm.

Vialli, who will not be stripping Wise of the Chelsea captaincy, would only comment: "It was wrong, he knows it and that's the only thing I can say about it."

He will also not be asking his players to curb their controlled aggression on the pitch, declaring: "We've played plenty of times in Europe and nothing has ever happened so I don't see why I should ask my players to change the way they play football tonight."

Whatever reception the Blues receive, Vialli's main concern is to leave Istanbul with at least a point to keep his side's hopes of qualifying from the first group stage very much alive.

Vialli will be hoping that defender Frank Leboeuf has recovered from an ankle injury sustained at Liverpool last weekend.

Dutch international Arthur Numan is Rangers' biggest doubt before the match against his old club, PSV Eindhoven tonight.

The full back limped off on Saturday in the 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock with a hamstring injury which has forced him to miss most of the season, and if he fails to respond to treatment, Australian international Tony Vidmar will return to the side.

Midfielder Claudio Reyna, who hurt his thigh in the win over PSV in Holland three weeks ago, has no chance of playing leaving coach Dick Advocaat a problem: Reyna's intended replacement, Andrei Kanchelskis, was replaced after just 33 minutes at Kilmarnock by Neil McCann because of his poor attitude.

PSV welcome back central defender Ernest Faber after a lengthy injury, while midfielder Mark van Bommel has completed his two-match European ban.