Bento's side sit 20 points behind leaders Porto in fifth place in the Portuguese league and they suffered a league cup final defeat by Vitoria Setubal 10 days ago.

But the former Portugal midfielder believes progress against Rangers, who they face in Glasgow in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday, can help save their campaign.

Bento, who had to sell key players such as Manchester United winger Nani last summer, insisted he was very confident about his future at Sporting despite their struggle to match two consecutive runners-up spots in the league.

"I'm not worried about the future, I'm worried about the present," he said at a press conference in Ibrox.

"But what has not been a good championship for Sporting might end up a reasonable one.

"We could finish second in the league and qualify for the Champions League.

"We are still in two cups - the Portuguese cup and this one. It might turn out to be a good season with some great results."

Sporting, who lost in the 2005 final, have reached the last eight of the UEFA Cup on the back of some impressive attacking displays.

They put five past Basle before a 2-1 aggregate victory over Bolton.

And Bento is sure his side, who finished above Dinamo Kiev but below Manchester United and Roma in their Champions League group, can cause a miserly Rangers defence problems on their home turf.

"We have a good team," the 38-year-old said through an interpreter.

"In European terms we have only failed to score away at Manchester and we took one goal at Bolton.

"But Rangers are a very good, organised team that plays well together and waits for the other team to make a mistake. We have to be aware that we have to concentrate.

"Sporting will always play whatever tactics we play but we will in some way counteract the way Rangers play and try to exploit their weaknesses."

While Bento is aware that Rangers are at their best soaking up pressure and hitting on the counter attack, he expects them to be more adventurous than Bolton after his team initially found it difficult to break past Gary Megson's defence.

"Rangers are a defensive team but they will not play the whole time like Bolton played," said Bento, who hopes Brazilian defender Ronny can recover from injury.

"They are a better team, they will attack more, they play a bit more open.

"But if they play the same type of way as Bolton then we will be prepared, as we showed. We improved over the two matches."