Rangers are three for three when it goes to penalties.

Avram Grant is one for one in the matter of Chelsea-Liverpool semifinals.

And Sir Alex Ferguson and #### Advocaat, two managers who have been around the block a few times, must be wondering what fate has in store for them come finals night in their respective European competitions.

Start with Sir Alex and Manchester United. It's an open secret how badly the legendary boss at Old Trafford wants another European win. You have to believe that he would have rather faced that dysfunctional Liverpool operation in Moscow rather than Grant's steely-eyed London bunch come May 21.

Manchester United is the best team in Europe this season, but they may not walk out of Roman Abramovich's home country with the silverware. Chelsea has the type of resolve, to say nothing of its take-no-prisoners defense that gives the Red Devils problems. They've also got Didier Drogba, maybe the best big game finisher in the game, no matter how good Cristiano Ronaldo has been this season.

And don't underestimate the psychological value of last weekend's win at Stamford Bridge; Sir Alex and his assistant Carlos Queiroz can claim that they didn't get a fair shake from the officials, but Chelsea took that game over when it mattered and forced the issue home. They know they can beat Manchester United when it matters.

It is might be even harder for Zenit St. Petersburg, the club that Advocaat has transformed into Russian champions and European power. A 4-0 second leg victory over Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup semifinal was certainly more impressive than anything Rangers and Fiorentina had to offer over their 210 minutes of scoreless football, but Rangers should have the crowd behind them in Manchester for the final and they certainly must know that they don't have to win it in 120 minutes in order to be successful.

After all, Rangers won the Scottish League Cup on penalties from Dundee United; they knocked off St. Johnstone on penalties in the Scottish Cup semifinal; and tonight they put paid to Fiorentina in the lottery used by soccer to decide games that simply have to end. That's more than simple good fortune; Walter Smith's team has thrived under pressure this season even if they fail to convince you with a sputtering attack. They have lived on a solid defense in Europe and there's no reason to change that formula on May 14.

It's a real shame that DaMarcus Beasley went down with that injury because not only would we enjoy watching an American play for a major European prize his presence would offer width and speed to a Rangers' attack that sometimes gets in its own way. Zenit, you can be sure, will take the attack to the Scots.

In pure soccer terms, both finals look well-balanced. But there is a more than a touch irony to go with the pairings:
-- we get an all-English final in Moscow while a Russian club comes to England to play for a trophy.
-- Advocaat managed Rangers, of course, so meets his former club.
-- And Chelsea just happens to be bankrolled by a Russian.

Did anyone expect the European club season to finish quite like this?