Nacho Novo's late goal in the first leg at Ibrox two weeks ago proved decisive as Rangers withstood all the pressure Red Star could muster to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory.

Red Star had promised they would intimidate Rangers, but Smith's side kept their cool to secure themselves a place in Thursday's draw.

They could have won it, Jean-Claude Darcheville having the best chance of the second half but missing the target.

However a goalless draw was enough to carry Rangers through, securing the chance to face the best in Europe plus a minimum of $25million to swell the accounts.

Smith brought in Brahim Hemdani, Lee McCulloch and Darcheville as he reverted to his usual European formation of 4-5-1.

All the preparation almost went out the window in the first minute when centre-back Carlos Cuellar missed a long ball but Allan McGregor blocked Igor Burzanovic's low shot.

The Rangers keeper made several more good saves to take his side through, while Darcheville was a persistent pest to the Red Star defence.

The Frenchman claimed a penalty in the fourth minute when his surging run from the right flank was halted by a challenge from Ibrahima Gueye which sent him sprawling.

The former Bordeaux man looked immediately to referee Lucilio Batista but was told Gueye had won the ball cleanly.

The home side continued to look threatening though and the home crowd were making their presence felt in the early stages at the Marakana.

A poorly-executed shot from Darcheville trickled harmlessly towards the corner flag and the Frenchman was looking rather isolated.

McCulloch won Rangers a free-kick in a dangerous position on the left edge of the penalty area and Barry Ferguson's shot was deflected over.

Rangers threatened again when Darcheville's power saw him find space on the right, but Ferguson could only fire wide from his cross to the near post.

McGregor made a decent block just after the half-hour point of the game.

Burzanovic burst into the penalty area and drove a shot towards the far corner but McGregor pushed the ball to safety.

Red Star should have gone ahead when Filip Dordevic's shot was deflected into the path of Dusan Andjelkovic, but the defender sliced his right-footed shot well over the bar from 10 yards.

McGregor kept Rangers ahead in the tie with another save from a goal-bound drive from 15 yards by Andjelkovic.

Gueye was yellow-carded for climbing all over Darcheville on the halfway line as half-time approached.

There was still time for Rangers to attack, but McCulloch flicked a header straight into Ivan Randjelovic's arms from a free-kick delivered from the right by Ferguson.

Red Star winger Ognjen Koroman saw an ambitious strike early in the second half smothered by Sasa Papac's challenge but the tempo of the game soon slowed.

Darcheville, with three goals in his past two games, had his clear opportunity to put Rangers 2-0 ahead on aggregate in the 57th minute.

The former Bordeaux frontman peeled away from his marker to give himself a run towards Randjelovic, but he drilled a left-footed shot across goal and wide of the post.

McCulloch also came close, turning inside after collecting the ball with his back to goal 25 yards out.

He struck a firm shot towards the bottom left corner which almost beat Randjelovic but the goalkeeper's unconvincing save diverted the ball just wide.

Burzanovic was booked for diving over David Weir's leg in a desperate attempt to earn Red Star a penalty.

Red Star threatened the Rangers lead through fair means a minute later when Koroman's blistering 25-yard shot was tipped over the bar by McGregor.

Darcheville made way for Daniel Cousin with 20 minutes remaining, the Gabon striker coming on for the closing stages despite suffering with a slight calf strain.

There was no indication of Red Star giving up, with McGregor having to be at his sharpest to touch one cross away from a waiting pack of hungry forwards.

Andjelkovic lashed a left-footed strike well off target, before Rangers brought on DaMarcus Beasley for Steven Whittaker.

Alan Hutton went into the book for a foul on Koroman, which gave Red Star the first of three set-pieces in quick succession, but on each occasion the delivery was ineffective.

McCulloch was booked for time-wasting before Rangers expertly whiled away much of the four minutes of stoppage-time with some possession football, making sure of their return to the European elite.