THERE were tens of thousands of men in blue shirts who were devastated by events in the City of Manchester Stadium last nights. The smart money, however, would be on Nacho Novo to win the title of most disappointed person in the aftermath of Rangers' 2-0 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg.

The little Spaniard walked from the dressing-room with his head held low, his face grim. It seemed cruel to ask him a question. It was almost an intrusion into private grief.

Novo had suffered a double blow.

This is most banal of football cliches but that does not detract from its truth. The Spaniard had expected to start the final. There had been hints in the paper. The forward had evidently taken them on board. he was, instead, condemned to the bench. That was the first punch to his emotional well-being.

The second followed within two hours. Novo was given 15 minutes to rescue Rangers. He almost succeeded. The ball came towards his foot, he connected solidly but it flew over the bar.

Such moments decide cup finals. Novo quietly confirmed that assertion when he stopped on the way to a team bus that resembled a hearse in its funereal air.

"I saw Lee McCulloch in there so he put me off a little," said Novo of the chance that could have brought redemption to both him and his side. "No excuses," he added honestly.

He reflected quietly, almost to himself, about the dejection he felt when Walter Smith announced the team and he was not in the starting XI.

"Don't get me wrong I feel great, I have confidence," he said of his form going into the game. He did not look or feel great in the bowels of the City of Manchester Stadium.

"I always thought I would have one chance in the game," he said of the moment that glory kissed him goodbye. He insisted, however: "I will have more chances with more time."

Instead, he came on for Sasa Papac with just 15 minutes remaining. The man who put Rangers into the Champions League with his goal against Red Star Belgrade, the player who started the UEFA Cup adventure with his strike against Panathinaikos in Greece, had little time to work his magic.

He said: "We played well in defence and we had great chances but there is nothing you can do. It is the biggest disappointment of my career because it is the biggest game of my career."

The omission from the starting line-up became clear when he said: "It is difficult when you think you are going to play and you don't play. It makes me more angry about the game."

Novo said the manager had told him of the decision just before the game. Novo was sad but gracious towards a coach he believes has resurrected his career at Rangers: "The manager does not need to explain anything to me. These things happen, I have to accept that."

This acceptance was reflected, too, by Papac. The Bosnian left the field to make way for Novo but was much more upbeat.

"We have lost but we must accept it because we have had a good year," he said. "Now there is pain because we lose a final but it may be okay when we look at the year."

He rued the missed chances when Barry Ferguson just failed to reach a cross by Jean-Claude Darcheville and then the captain had a penalty claim turned down when his shot hit Radek Sirl.

The full-back admitted, though: "We were maybe a little bit nervous because it was a final and there is pressure. We must go to a league game now. We must win the last three league games and win the title."

Rangers have already won the CIS Insurance Cup and are in the final of the Scottish Cup. "The treble would be a fantastic season," he said. "The Premier League is important now. We want to play in the Champions League."

He was asked if the team could put the crushing blow of defeat in a European final behind them "We will see on Saturday but our guys we must stay together and try everything to win," he said.

He said the answer could only be provided on the field. Novo, for one, will be keen to be given the chance to provide it.