Scottish champions Rangers have been handed a favourable Champions League group draw after they managed to avoid many of the competition’s big guns.

Walter Smith’s side were drawn alongside Sevilla, Stuttgart and Unirea Urziceni in Group G at the ceremony in Monaco.

Sevilla qualify after finishing third in La Liga last season and Stuttgart beat FC Timisoara to qualify for the group stages after finishing third in the Bundesliga.

Romanian club Unirea Urziceni will be less known to the SPL club, but were beaten in the opening round of last season’s UEFA Cup by Hamburger SV.

The group stage matches will begin on September 15 and finish on December 9.

Rangers received a pre-draw boost after they were moved to pot two – meaning they would avoid Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Juventus, Lyon, Porto, AZ Alkmaar and CSKA Moscow – after Fiorentina beat Sporting Lisbon in last night’s qualifier.