We've already won our final

May 4 2008 By Euan Mclean

COCKY Nicolas Lombaerts reckons Zenit St Petersburg will lift the UEFA Cup because knocking out Bayern Munich was their Real final.

The Belgian defender believes the 4-0 thrashing of the Bundesliga giants in Thursday's semi-final second leg shows his side will have far too much quality for Rangers when they go head-to-head for glory in Manchester.

And while team-mate Fernando Ricksen has told him of the fanatical Gers support that will swamp the Russian contingent on May 14, Lombaerts insists the Zenit stars will not be overawed by the hostile atmosphere having shown courage on the big stage repeatedly in this campaign.

The 23-year-old international said: "We are still celebrating our win over Bayern because that match was like the final to us.

"Zenit have demonstrated in the two games against Bayern that we are more than capable of going all the way to lift the UEFA Cup.

"Any one-off final always starts 50-50 but we deserve to be considered favourites.

"I know there will be many more Scottish fans in Manchester and they will make it a great spectacle but I do not agree this will be a handicap for us.

"With the hunger to win and the quality to score goals we can get a result in any stadium and will go there without fear.

"I have seen some of Rangers' matches and their defensive style makes them hard to open up.

"The key for us will be to get the first goal and force Rangers to come out and attack, leaving them open to losing more goals."