Against a Barcelona team containing several of the world's finest players, Rangers produced an immense defensive performance to gain an unlikely Champions League point.
At times it was like a siege as Ronaldinho, Messi et al continued to try to prise open the home defence who failed to budge.
On a night characterised by a collective team performance, special mention must, however, go to defensive pillars David Weir and Carlos Cuellar who repelled everything Barcelona could throw at them, and Daniel Cousin who ploughed away tirelessly in the lone strike role.
The draw carries both Rangers and Barcelona onto seven points in Group E, four clear of Lyon who won in Stuttgart.
Smith, unsurprisingly given the injuries to Jean-Claude Darcheville to Brahim Hemdani, had stuck with the same team that began the 3-0 victory over Celtic the previous weekend.
Barcelona had injury problems of their own to contend with - Deco, Gianluca Zambrotta, Yaya Toure, Samuel Eto'o and Edmilson all missed out - but could still call on stellar talent such as Eidur Gudjohnsen, Ronaldinho and Lilian Thuram to plug the gaps.
This was the first time these two clubs had met on competitive action and it would prove to be a night to remember.
Rangers enjoyed a nice few early touches - Barry Ferguson even executed a cheeky back heel in the centre circle - before Barcelona began to gather a dominant grip of proceedings.
Their passing at times was magical to behold as Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Gudjohnsen and Leo Messi weaved their way towards Allan McGregor's goal, seemingly able to move the ball forwards and across the pitch at will.
Only their finishing in those early stages let them down, Messi seeing his weak effort battered clear by Carlos Cuellar before a Ronaldinho free kick soared high into the stand.
The Brazilian came closer eight minutes later from a similar distance but saw his effort strike the crossbar and bounce to safety, the referee decreeing that McGregor hadn't helped it on its way.
In among the long periods of indomitable resistance, Rangers managed to find pockets of respite at the other end of the field.
A piece of trickery allowed Nacho Novo space to shoot on goal - it drifted just wide - before the same player and then Charlie Adam exploited space down the wide areas but found no takers for their enticing crosses into Victor Valdes' penalty area.
Barcelona it was, however, who continued to enjoy rather more possession of the ball. Another flowing move was abruptly curtailed when Kevin Thomson clipped Henry's heels on the edge of the box.
It earned the midfielder a booking that means he will be suspended for the reverse match in the Nou Camp on November 7 although Ronaldinho failed to punish the player and Rangers further when he slammed his free kick into the defensive wall.
By this point the majority of those crammed into Ibrox were spending half their time watching events unfolding through the cracks in their fingers and the other half imploring the stadium clock to expedite its arrival at the 45-minute mark.
Ronaldinho again danced into the penalty box but found Alan Hutton blocking his path to goal - penalty claims were waved away - while McGregor again performed heroically to bat away Puyol's header.
The curly-haired Catalan - usually a dominant centre-half - was by now operating as an auxiliary right winger but could find no takers from his cross after cheekily nutmegging Sasa Papac and bursting into the penalty box.
The half-time whistle brought a mighty roar of relief and another 15-minute period of respite for Smith's overworked side before Barcelona began where they had left off, McGregor having to be alert to keep out Gudjohnsen's stinging strike.
To say Rangers were weathering a storm would be akin to saying Michaelangelo was quite handy with a brush.
Time and time again Barcelona knocked on the door but Rangers continued to stand firm, refusing to let them in.
It was beginning to look like it may take individual error for either side to forge in front and so it almost proved.
Milito nearly diverted Hutton's cross into his own net before Cuellar almost did likewise at the other end as he desperately stretched to cut out Ronaldinho's cross.
If those were close calls for either side then Rangers survived a real let-off moments later when Papac inexplicably failed to clear Xavi's corner allowing Henry a free header on goal.
The former Arsenal man seemed a certainty to score the game's opening goal but couldn't keep his header on target.
The let-off seemed to spur on Rangers' and they were finally able to enjoy a sustain period of possession without greatly testing Valdes.
Lee McCulloch thrashed a shot over before Cousin couldn't divert Ferguson's cross under the crossbar as Ibrox groaned.
Barcelona notably wilted after that and Rangers held on for a deserved point.
RANGERS: McGregor; Hutton, Cuellar, Weir, Papac; Novo (Beasley 71), Ferguson, Thomson, Adam, McCulloch; Cousin
Subs not used: Carroll, Faye, Whittaker, Naismith, Boyd, Broadfoot
Booked: Thomson (36), Papac (50), Weir (71)
BARCELONA: Valdes; Puyol, Thuram, Milito, Abidal; Iniesta, Xavi, Gudjohnsen; Ronaldinho, Henry (Giovani 81), Messi
Subs not used: Jorquera, Sylvinho, Ezquero, Oleguer, Crosas, Krkic
Booked: Milito (48), Abidal (62)
Ref: Konrad Plautz (Aut)
Att: 49,957
Key Man
Daniel Cousin
Tremendous shift in the lone striker's role.
