Rangers manager Dick Advocaat has admitted captain Barry Ferguson is likely to be confined to the bench for tonight's Champions League clash with NK Maribor in Slovenia.

Although Advocaat will reserve final judgment until today, Ferguson is struggling with a similar Achilles problem to the one that forced Ronald de Boer to stay behind in Glasgow.

Advocaat said: "He is very doubtful. He has been out for one or two weeks. We don't want to take the risk so I think he will start on the bench. But we will wait and see until after the final training session."

Injuries played a big part in last season's campaigns both at home and abroad, which saw Celtic take all three domestic trophies and the dream of reaching the second group stages of the Champions League die. But Advocaat made it clear that he expected his squad to be able to get past the Slovenian champions regardless of those problems.

"There are no excuses any more. We can't say we have injuries. The players have to do it."

Chief scout Ewan Chester watched Maribor open their Slovenian league campaign with a 2-1 victory at Rudar on Saturday and he appeared to have confirmed what Advocaat already knew. "They are a technical team that likes to play football. They are well-organised."

Advocaat added he believed his squad was better prepared than this time last year when the task of getting past the Lithuanian champions Zalgiris Kaunas was laboriously achieved.

Advocaat explained the absence of strike Billy Dodds from the travelling party, saying he is behind Tore Andre Flo, Michael Mols and Kenny Miller in the pecking order, and of course there is also Claudio Caniggia to call upon.

However, the Dutchman was keen not to put too heavy a weight of expectation on the Argentinian's shoulders.

"It is not a one-man game. Rangers is a team with individuals. He can be an important part of the team but just like all the others he has to show that.

"With his pace he is always a threat even when he is not in the game. If you have pace you can always damage the defence and that is one of his qualities. I still think we can see a lot more of Caniggia."

Rangers' pre-season preparations ended on Saturday with a 2-1 home defeat by Anderlecht.