Chester: Squad help us v Sevilla; CHESTER'S BIG-GAMEWARNING.

Byline: Scott McDermott

RANGERS' super spy Ewan Chester watched a weakened Sevilla destroy hosts Athletic Bilbao 4-0 - and warned boss Walter Smith to expect a torrid time against the Spanish giants.

The Ibrox chief scout has now seen the La Liga outfit, who come to Ibrox tomorrow night on Champions League duty, four times.

Saturday's stunning win in Bilbao came despite superstar striker Luis Fabiano watching from the bench and several other first-pick players like Julien Escude, Adriano, Diego Perotti and Didier Zokora also looking on from the sidelines.

The strength in depth of coach Manolo Jimenez's squad was emphasised by goals from Renato, Alvaro Negredo, Freddie Kanoute and Jesus Navas.

This was Sevilla's fifth straight win and fringe men Ivica Dragutinovic, Fernando Navarro and Lolo, who all came in, didn't look out of place as they cemented third place in La Liga.

Chester, who handed his final Turn to Page 46

FromBack Page report on the Spaniards to Smith yesterday, believes only Jimenez knows the 11 players who'll start in Glasgow. But he believes Brazilian Fabianowill get thenodupfront.

Chester told Record Sport: "It says everything about Sevilla that Jimenez could leave Fabiano on the bench,aswellasrestingafewothers.

"We've watched them five times - Ally McCoist has also seen them - and the depth of their squad is clear as they'verotated ineverygame.

"I've never seen them put out the same team twice and they're very strong in attack. Fabiano was on the benchinBilbaobuttheystartedwith a pounds 12million striker in Negredo and Kanoutespeaksfor himself.

"TheyalsohaveArounaKoneand Javier Chevantonwhocouldn't even get in thesquadonSaturday.

"Jimenezhasalotofoptionsbutit's difficult to imagine him not starting withFabianoatIbrox,giventhatheis oneofthein-formstrikersinEurope. He's also scored for Brazil against Argentina intheWorldCup."

Chester is adamant Sevilla will be one of the toughest teams Rangers havefacedattheChampionsLeague groupstage in recentyears.

But he insists if Smith's men can curtail flying wide men Navas and Diego Capel and be as strong at the back as they were two years ago en route to the UEFA Cup Final, they cangetaresult.

Ruthless Chestersaid:"Sevillaareclinicalin front of goal. The first 20 minutes of thematchwithBibaowasfairlyeven -yettheyweretwogoalstothegood. They were ruthless in attack and I agree with Walter they're the third best team in Spain behind BarcelonaandRealMadrid.

"The key is stopping the supply to the front men, particularly from the wide areas.

"We've shown we can be hard to play against in Europe and if we can deny them space and play to o u r o w n s t rengths we have achance."