The road to Manchester stretches out before this remarkable, redoubtable Rangers team. The illustrious history of the Ibrox club has rarely borne witness to such a display of defiance. This was a performance, and an achievement, that deserves to transcend the churlish mutterings over Watenaccio. It may not have been a night for the purist but football, and sport in general, is often about more than aesthetics.

Walter Smith's side deserve to be lauded for the seemingly bottomless reservoir of physical and mental courage that has taken them to within touching distance of greatness. Forget the battering in Bremen. This was the flogging in Florence, but Rangers absorbed every blow and delivered four knockout ones of their own from 12 yards. It was stirring stuff.

The achievement is made even greater by the standard of opposition. Fiorentina firmly believed they would win this tie. That belief could easily have manifested itself in hubristic complacency.

No-one could accuse Cesare Prandelli's side of that. The truth is they threw everything that they had at Rangers.

Ultimately, it was not enough.

The Florence-based club have endured some savage blows in their recent history. Off-field turbulence has come in the form of administration in 2002 and a points deduction for their part in the Calciopoli match fixing scandal in 2006. Their return to the upper echelons of Italian football has stemmed from on-field unity and a desire to restore their tattered reputation.

Despite their 15-point deduction at the start of last season, they managed to qualify for this season's UEFA Cup. This campaign, they are in pole position for a Champions League berth, ahead of AC Milan. Credibility has been restored. A trip to Manchester was supposed to be the next stage in re-establishing their reputation in European football.

This result will shake them to their very core. The inquest will be long and painful. Heads may roll. Criticism from the national media after the goalless first leg was fierce. It will reach new levels after last night.

It will not be unjustified.

The reality is that Fiorentina's possession football failed to translate into telling incisions in the final third. That was due both to their own profligacy and Rangers' defensive diligence.

Their performance was also laced with cynicism.

Fiorentina's players frequently went down under minimal contact, writhing around on the turf in an effort to win cheap fouls. Rangers, to their credit, maintained their discipline in the face of the home side's simulation.

Well, at least until Daniel Cousin's sending off. The Gabon striker was penalised for a perfectly legitimate tackle and motioned his forehead towards Fabio Liverani. There was contact, but the Italian recoiled as if he had been felled by a sniper.

Even with 10 men, Rangers stood strong in defence. In that aspect, Carlos Cuellar once again emerged as a totemic presence. The Spaniard has been a marvel this season and has shown his pedigree at the top level. The vultures are already hovering, but perhaps Cuellar will regard Rangers as a big enough vehicle for his own ambitions.

In his public pronouncements, he has always stressed his contentment with life in Scotland and even suggested that he would like to spend his career at Ibrox. Jean-Alain Boumsong disappeared to Newcastle United in a puff of smoke, but Cuellar is a different proposition.

He is a better player for one, but also astute enough to realise that mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League is not necessarily a more attractive alternative to regular European football at Rangers. Scottish football will be the winner if Cuellar sticks to his guns and remains at the club.

Then there is Nacho Novo. A late cameo culminated in the winning penalty. Premier League clubs will not be kicking down Novo's door in the summer, but it is impossible not to admire the unorthodox gifts and strength of character that he brings to Rangers.

Such is the relentless nature of the season that Rangers will have less than two weeks to reflect on their achievement before their trip down the M6 to the City of Manchester Stadium for the final. Dick Advocaat's accomplished Zenit St Petersburg stand between them and even greater glory. Rangers will justifiably believe they can win.

An aura of invincibility now accompanies this Ibrox side on their European travels. There will be no surprises. Rangers will do what Rangers do best. The Russians will have more of a cutting edge and Smith's side will have to retain possession better than they did last night. It is not beyond them.

Their European adventure will lead to a problematic bottleneck in their attempt to wrest the league title off Celtic. Smith's assertion that the league is Rangers' bread and butter has been the soundtrack to their season to date. He may be right, but the sumptuous offerings at one of European football's top tables now await. History beckons.