Both German giants Bayern Munich and Scottish mammoths Rangers had disappointing seasons by their high standards last term but both are now on course to redeem themselves by winning four trophies this campaign.

However, both sides enter Thursday's UEFA Cup semifinal first leg matches under strength as Bayern host Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg and Rangers are at home to highflying Serie A outfit Fiorentina.

Bayern Munich have already captured the League Cup and last weekend's German Cup in what is coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn's farewell seasons with the Bavarian side, but the two bigger prizes remain to be delivered in the UEFA Cup and national title.

However they travel to Russia not in the best of heart rather surprisingly as 35-goal scoring World Cup winner Luca Toni is suspended — after picking up a booking in their epic 3-3 draw with Getafe in the last round — and doubts surrounding German international forward Miroslav Klose.

Klose failed to train on Tuesday as he was still recovering from a blow to his foot he picked up during the 2-1 German Cup final win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday which saw Toni bag his fourth successive double.

"There is a doubt over Klose," admitted the club.

Should that be the case Bayern are likely to field the makeshift pairing of Klose's fellow Polish-born German international Lukas Podolski and the rarely used Jan Schlaudraff, who is Hanover bound next season having been selected just six times this season.

Bayern have also been distracted over the break-up of contract talks with German international defender Philip Lahm, who has now indicated that he wants to play abroad.

One good piece of news for Bayern is that hardman Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel is prepared to play even though he broke his nose in the Cup final.

Zenit for their part will have little fear of travelling to Germany for the first leg having thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 in the previous round and then wrapped up their last four place at home in the second leg.

Former Dutch national coach Dick Advocaat has already become a hero for delivering the national title but would become a super hero should he guide Zenit to their first ever European trophy.

Rangers — who lost to Fiorentina in the 1961 UEFA Cup final when it was a two-legged affair — meanwhile have just the League Cup to their name but booked their ticket into the Scottish Cup final last Sunday on penalties over St Johnstone and face tiny Queen of the South in the final.

Whilst bitter rivals Celtic lead in the title race, Rangers have several games in hand but a mixture of a fixture pile-up and an ever increasing long term injury list to key players could put a dampener on their aspirations to a quadruple sweep of trophies.

Rangers, though, go into the match stretched almost to the limit with inspirational keeper Allan McGregor all but certain to be out for the season alongside midfielder Lee McCulloch as doubts persist over Charlie Adam, Steven Naismith and Chris Burke for the gruelling run-in.

Fiorentina for their part don't seem to have been affected in the least by the departure of Toni last summer and in Adrian Mutu have a top class striker to worry many a defence.

While the 'Viola' will be lacking experienced Czech international defender Tomas Ujfalusi, who is out injured, their captain Dario Dainelli believes that he and his team-mates will react well to the hostile atmposphere at Ibrox.

"The heated atmosphere does not scare me, it charges me up," said the 28-year-old.