The Stadio Artemio Franchi is the ideal place for a first date. It nestles under the Tuscan hills, it glimmers in the pale sunshine and it resounds with the arias that only the tifosi can construct. It was the scene of unprecedented romance for Rangers last night.

THE Stadio Artemio Franchi is the ideal place for a first date.

It nestles under the Tuscan hills, it glimmers in the pale sunshine of an Italian May and it resounds with the arias that only the tifosi can construct. It was the scene of unprecedented romance for Rangers last night.

This was a match made in heaven for the boys in blue. In an ending worthy of the best Hollywood film, the Ibrox side got the girl in the happiest of finales. It followed a long courtship that stretched into extra time and penalties. It saw the unceremonious dumping of Fiorentina in spectacular fashion. Rangers' third penalty shootout win this season was easily the sweetest.

The end of the affair for Fiorentina followed a series of encounters that were certainly physical, but never tender. This, after all, was a UEFA Cup semi-final. This match was played out in a strange kind of dance, interspersed by moments of violence. It was the Barrowlands in the old days, without the glamour, of course. There was even a Glasgow kiss, performed by Daniel Cousin. It earned him a second card. The first one was not a Valentine. He thus left the dance early. It was one that contained a surfeit of sidesteps as both sides wanted to counter-attack. There were sideswipes, as well. Football is about gameplans, tactics and set-pieces. It is also, though, about winning personal battles.

This Rangers team has endured a long campaign. It has retained its appetite for the fight. If the Stadio Artemio Franchi was not exactly the seething cauldron of hate celebrated by vintage hackery, it was never likely to rival Woodstock as a site for the summer of love.

The set-up of Walter Smith and Cesare Prandelli's sides in Florence last night ensured that certain players would meet with an alarming regularity. This familiarity bred confrontation. It also produced a number of heroes.

The confrontation was centred in midfield. Barry Ferguson, playing with a positional discipline which sometimes eludes him, pressed Fabio Liverani with a biting menace. On one occasion, he crashed into the Italian from the back, drawing a howl of anguish and an ugly look. Their spat continued off the ball. Their words of animosity died down, but the battle continued for the rest of an enthralling game. Almost two hours later, they clashed with the inevitability of a bickering couple. They also swapped missed penalties.

Kevin Thomson, too, fell out with Marco Donadel from the start. It was loathing at first sight. They clicked each others' heels, with Donadel adding a less-than-friendly pat to the former Hibernian player's head. It will never last, we mused. It did not. Thomson received a yellow card from Frank De Bleeckere and Donadel soon retired very hurt.

If these battles were tough and even-handed, there were other, more unlikely match-ups. The sight of Adrian Mutu facing Kirk Broadfoot would make the heart of most Rangers supporters skip a beat.

The former St Mirren player, though, stuck to a difficult task all night. He even once made a lunge worthy of a besotted teenager. The moment of passion took place inside the box when he fell at the feet of Mutu. Thankfully, Broadfoot escaped with the ball and Rangers breathed again.

His performance was somehow emblematic of Rangers. They seemed to be up against superior forces, but they continued to play, to fight and to believe. This was illustrated no better than in the centre of defence. Here is where the heroes resided. David Weir and Carlos Cuellar were superb. They protected the honour of an innocent goalkeeper in Neil Alexander.

The former Cardiff City custodian may be 30, but he can have faced nothing like this before. He made two fumbles - one from a corner, the other from a fierce Mutu free kick - but was mostly restricted to patting the back of one or both of his central defenders. And, of course, making that vital penalty save from Liverani.

Weir played with an injury.

He was magnificent. He chose the crucible of the Renaissance to give further evidence of his personal rebirth. Scorned at Everton, he has fashioned a career at Ibrox that has surprised everyone, including himself. His partner was solid, assured. Cuellar's prowess in the air is unquestioned. He manages to head clear with power, but he also has the facility to apply the merest touch and divert a dangerous cross. On the ground, his interceptions are timely. This ability was precious for Rangers. He rescued situations with a quiet, almost unobtrusive regularity. His touch on the ball is improving, too. The increasingly highly-rated defender may be a player that Rangers struggle to keep.

Both Weir and Cuellar were also prepared to do the dirty work. In the first half, the Scottish internationalist simply stuck his body in front of Mutu's shot. In the second half, Cuellar scrambled almost on hands and knees to help deny Christian Vieri winning the tie.

The former Italian internationalist had another chance in extra time, but the opportunity slipped away before Cuellar threw himself in front of Mutu's volley. Then followed the penalty shootout.

Rangers players embraced. They now have another date: May 14 at the City of Manchester Stadium.