$1m-a-man bonus if Advocaat's Zenit win the UEFA prize against Rangers

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Russian gas giants Gazprom back Advocaat's outfit and they are the big players behind the astonishing incentive scheme for May 14.

Gazprom's outgoing chairman is Dmitry Medvedev, the man elected to succeed Vladimir Putin as Russian President tomorrow - and he is a massive fan of St Petersburg.

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Zenit players received a record $600,000 per man for beating Bayern Munich 4-0 last week to reach the UEFA showpiece at the City of Manchester Stadium.

It's a staggering jackpot on offer and despite the new 'super rich' society exploding throughout Russia, supporters in the city once known as Leningrad earn only an average monthly wage of £390, with many struggling to find the cash for the air fare to England for the Final.

Now, for the lucky players, the bonus to beat Rangers is being discussed and will dwarf the £50,000-per-man that has been put on the table for the Ibrox squad.

The Russian League have already backed Zenit with a series of postponements around the Final - and that has allowed the Dutchman to fly to Glasgow to spy on his old club ahead of the Manchester date.

Cancellation of Zenit's scheduled league game with Lokomotiv Moscow tomorrow gives Advocaat the chance to attend Ibrox for the SPL game with Motherwell.

Advocaat will cast his eyes over Rangers and then head back to Russia to make final preparations for the Manchester showdown next week.

"I am planning to come to Glasgow to watch Rangers, our matches being postponed gives me that opportunity," the Zenit boss confirmed last night.

"I knew they would be postponed because there was a regulation put into the league rules four years ago. It stated that any side who reached the European Champions League or UEFA Cup Final would be given dispensation for league games.

"When CSKA Moscow made the UEFA Cup Final against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal three years ago, I believe they had four fixtures postponed.

"I asked my club's management to write to the authorities and they said allowances could be made."

Zenit, who have even had their league game immediately after the Final cancelled, will head for Manchester on Monday, with Rangers likely to do the same after facing Motherwell tomorrow and Dundee United at Ibrox on Saturday.

As it was, Rangers cancelled their own spying plans following the Russian call-offs and will now be forced to delve into their video library to assess the opposition.

Chief scout Ewan Chester and reserve coach Ian Durrant were to watch Zenit in action but the Russians' schedule of three games in eight days was cut to zero by the authorities.