Europa League

There's a storm heading towards Seville. One way or another, Rangers fans will descend upon the south of Spain in droves and will be met by an Eintracht ...

Goals remain a concern and Rangers are once again hoping that striker Kemar Roofe will be able to return, with Alfredo Morelos out for the season. The disturbances in Manchester that followed the 2008 Uefa Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg continue to cast a worrying shadow on their trip to Seville. Those West Ham supporters who travelled in hope were certainly impressed by the atmosphere at the Waldstadion, but the feedback Rangers fans have received on Eintracht from a football perspective has been less flattering. Both Rangers and Eintracht will carry themselves like European royalty when they arrive in Seville, but they will not take it for granted. For Barca, a Europa League quarter-final meant ridicule and a sign of their decline. It will just be close enough to the Pizjuan to justify their pilgrimage.

Their Champions League qualifying round loss was a blessing in disguise as Rangers aim to win their first European title in 50 years.

Having said that, Rangers have carried the Scottish coefficient ever since Steven Gerrard took over in 2018 and as a result of their progress in the Europa League, there are now more European places available in the Scottish top flight. And if they do so, it will be a win dedicated to the legends that are Walter Smith and Jimmy Bell. These fans are going to be very important and in a one-off match at Ibrox, you would fancy Rangers to get the job done. Frankfurt have some dangerous players and made relatively light work of West Ham – who many fancied to win the whole thing – in the last four. They will be hoping to skip that stage, however, and waltz into the groups. On paper, Frankfurt are the favourites; but so were Dortmund, Braga and Leipzig. The vast majority of their strongest starting XI would likely flourish in the Premier League, whereas there seems to be a taboo in football that nobody should be signed from the Scottish league because it’s supposedly a league correlating the standard of the National League in England – besides the Old Firm, of course, who would probably finish mid-table in the Championship… Without Alfredo Morelos, Rangers looked lost in the first leg and put in an abject performance as they lost 1-0. And now Eintracht Frankfurt are the only thing separating Rangers from their first European trophy since 1972. Ibrox was electric for the first leg and everything seemed to go the Gers’ way, with Allan McGregor making an incredible save to deny Aleksandar Katai from the penalty spot in a 3-0 rout, which was enough to see the Teddy Bears through. Their defeat at Livingston on matchday six was their last in the league and the Hoops won the title by four points. The Scottish club’s last two games in the group stage were under Giovanni van Bronckhorst after Steven Gerrard’s departure for Aston Villa – and, despite faltering domestically, the Dutch manager has managed to guide the Gers to the final of the Europa League against all odds. It has been an emotional season for Glasgow Rangers, who lost legendary manager Walter Smith in October after a short battle with cancer before the passing of iconic kitman Jimmy Bell in the week of their Europa League semi-final second-leg triumph over RB Leipzig. Safe to say it has not been plain sailing on the pitch, either.

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has backed his players to handle the pressure in the heat of Seville tonight and become European heroes.

It is a huge opportunity for us to get a second major prize in our history in Europe for this club. We are very determined to bring the trophy back with us.” Rangers have 9,500 tickets but could have closer to 20,000 inside, with tens of thousands more in the city. “It will be a factor because our fans are supporting us really well,” he said. “Of course it is a big game, it comes with pressure. Van Bronckhorst feels his players are ready to make history tonight.

Mark Hately said getting to the final in Seville is 'up there with some of the greatest achievements of Scottish clubs'.

Writing in The Scotsman newspaper, he added: “As a lifelong Rangers fan, I could not miss out on the chance of seeing them play in a European final. Hateley told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “In the modern game of football where cash is king and there’s not a lot of that around in Scottish football, to be able to emulate the top echelons of European football clubs, it’s remarkable, it is up there. With less cash in Scottish football than in some other European leagues, he said getting to the final is “up there with some of the greatest achievements of Scottish clubs”.

Rangers players will become heroes if they lift the Europa League trophy in Seville, Ibrox legend Mark Hateley said as he hailed the club's achievement in ...

“Whatever the result tonight, it has been a remarkable run for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team.” Hateley said: “It’s a great period for the football club at the moment, they have come from relatively zero to heroes very, very quickly over a period that has become a difficult period for them, coming back through the leagues.” “He’s taken that forward and that belief forward and turned us into finalists, and he’s done it in some style.”

Those who drink from the Premier League Kool-Aid dismiss the second European competitions but this is where Europe is really united.

At a time of war in Europe, the Conference League and Europa League have been an illustration of the commonality of all our peoples. They are liars and they lie all the time, they’re lying now and now and now. We all need a bit of romance to counterbalance the greed and commodification culture that dominates the higher echelons. It’s a mistake to think that if you don’t get to the final or win it then it’s all been worthless. Anything that offers great breadth and opportunity for the other 95% of clubs that exist in Europe is much to be welcomed. Yet, not only is the entire Scottish pyramid tremendous entertainment, here we have a team in the final that beat the more fashionable Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig to get there, as ‘pub league’ teams always do, eh.

Is it destiny for Gio van Bronckhorst and Co and they eye glory against the Germans in Seville.

Frankfurt have quality, no more so than frontman Rafaele Borre, and will pose serious questions but Rangers have goals coming from all over the park and with confidence soaring can finish the job in Seville. Nothing has fazed Rangers in their stunning surge to the final and unlike 2008 it’s been goals and thrills galore. But this Rangers side has beaten better teams on this run and have enough to make history. The heat is going to be a factor and I don’t expect a classic. Rangers have a smart manager and a talented team. It’s almost as if Eintracht Frankfurt are only in Seville to make up the numbers.

To keep you up to date, here is a round up of stories ahead of tonight's Europa League Final. Rangers fans 'hit with glasses and flares by Eintracht Frankfurt ...

Tens of thousands of Rangers fans are making their way over to Seville for their Europa League final clash against Eintracht Frankfurt. Four Rangers fans have been left sickened after losing out on the “trip of a lifetime” to Seville and thousands of pounds out of pocket when their flight was cancelled without reason at the last minute. Plenty of mums and dads have made their way to Spain with their children for the game, with many Rangers fans seeing it as the chance to share a bit of history with their loved ones. It is a family affair in Seville as different generations of Rangers fans prepare for a tilt at European glory. Hundreds of Rangers fans were told their Seville flights had been 'cancelled' on the morning they were due to fly out for the Europa League Final - before airlines reinstated the journeys amidst travel chaos. Both Ibrox fans travelled to Seville to cheer the Gers on at Wednesday night's Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt, and by pure luck stumbled upon each other in a local boozer.

Rangers fans have descended on Seville ahead of the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.

Included within that quartet is that epic night against RB Leipzig in the second leg of the semi-finals” Oliver Glasner has been in charge of Frankfurt for a year. They have just finished 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga and did not win any of their closing eight league matches, a run stretching back to mid-March. They drew their final game 2-2 away to Mainz on Sunday. They have been a different animal in Europe, however, with Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham their three most recent conquests in reaching the final. A Ferran Torres goal cancelled out Ansgar Knuaff’s opener for Frankfurt and the German side had to see out a 1-1 home-leg draw with 10 men. Japanese midfielder Daichi Kamada is also a threat, having netted nine times, including in the away victory over West Ham. Serbian midfielder Filip Kostic, who joined from Hamburg four years ago, is also deemed a key man for Frankfurt. A 90th-minute goal in Germany took the tie into extra time but Frankfurt were saved from penalties by a last-minute own goal.

Mark Hately said getting to the final in Seville is 'up there with some of the greatest achievements of Scottish clubs'.

“Whatever the result tonight, it has been a remarkable run for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team.” Hateley said: “It’s a great period for the football club at the moment, they have come from relatively zero to heroes very, very quickly over a period that has become a difficult period for them, coming back through the leagues.” “He’s taken that forward and that belief forward and turned us into finalists, and he’s done it in some style.”

On the eve of what could be the greatest night of their sporting lives, there was an assured sense of calm around the Rangers players stepping onto the ...

It would complete the most astonishing story, from the fourth tier of Scottish football to European glory in a decade. The impact would also be felt a lot closer to home. They are unbeaten en route to the final. The ticket site for that crashed within minutes of going live last Friday amid a charge from the Light Blue brigade. Blinking through the strong sun of late afternoon, they glimpsed the arena where tonight they can complete a path to the land of legends. “It is a big game, it comes with pressure,” he added.

With the 2022 Europa League final all set for Seville, as Rangers take on Eintracht Frankfurt, focus is already shifting to the 2022/23 competition.

The final placings for the 2022/23 Europa League qualifying rounds will not be confirmed until the start of June with domestic campaigns not yet completed. When does the 2022/23 Europa League season start? The 2022 Europa League final offers a chance for a new name on the trophy with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt taking on Rangers in Seville.

Rangers players will become heroes if they lift the Europa League trophy in Seville, Ibrox legend Mark Hateley said as he hailed the club's achievement in ...

Photo: PA Photo: PA Photo: PA

By Andrew Warshaw. May 18 – Glasgow Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt, two massively supported clubs who have had lean times when it comes to European success ...

“We want to put a legacy down for the day we retire,” he said. Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson urged the club’s fans to behave and enjoy the occasion “in the right way, the right manner” while manager Giovanni Van Bronckhorst added: “Is not often that we are able to reach a European final, so we have to enjoy this moment and make sure we don’t cause any trouble.” “It’s going to be a unique gathering of the most vocal and enthusiastic fans in Europe.”

Rangers players will become heroes if they lift the Europa League trophy in Seville, Ibrox legend Mark Hateley said as he hailed the club's achievement in ...

“Whatever the result tonight, it has been a remarkable run for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team.” Hateley said: “It’s a great period for the football club at the moment, they have come from relatively zero to heroes very, very quickly over a period that has become a difficult period for them, coming back through the leagues.” “He’s taken that forward and that belief forward and turned us into finalists, and he’s done it in some style.”

The Glasgow club are the first Scottish team to reach the final of a major European competition since Walter Smith's Rangers side lost 2-0 in the UEFA Cup ...

Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men are on the brink of making history. The Europa League final will come just over a decade after Rangers entered administration, resulting in the club dropping down to the third division in Scottish football. The Europa League final comes just over a decade after Rangers entered administration, resulting in the club dropping down to the third division in Scottish football.

The first serious incident of tonight's Europa League Final in Seville happened last night with Spanish police arresting five Eintracht Frankfurt supporters ...

The ugly scenes happened around midnight in front of the Seville Cathedral , where around 200 German fans attacked the Rangers faithful. With over 100,000 Rangers fans and 50,000 Eintracht Frankfurt fans expected to arrive in Seville before the Europa League Final, there will almost certainly be more of these scenes happening over the next day. La permisividad y falta de previsión del alcalde nos pueden salir muy caros. Peleas, lanzamiento de objetos, destrozo del patrimonio, botellones en pleno Ayuntamiento… No quiero ser alarmista, pero 5.500 agentes tienen difícil controlar a los 150.000 aficionados que se esperan. "The incident took place around midnight in front of Seville Cathedral and the troops of the Police Intervention Units had to intervene quickly to stop the Eintracht Frankfurt fans who were assaulting supporters of Glasgow Rangers." The first serious incident of tonight's Europa League Final in Seville happened last night with Spanish police arresting five Eintracht Frankfurt supporters, after an altercation with Rangers fans ahead.

150000 football fans are expected to descend on Seville as Scottish giant Rangers seek their first European title in 50 years.

Prior to reaching the final this term, their best run since winning silverware in 1980 was in 2019 when they reached the semi-final of the Europa League before losing to Chelsea. Their only appearance in the European Cup final brought a 7-3 defeat against Real Madrid at Hampden in 1960. They have just finished 11th in the 18-team Bundesliga and did not win any of their closing eight league matches, a run stretching back to mid-March. They drew their final game 2-2 away to Mainz on Sunday. They have been a different animal in Europe, however, with Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham their three most recent conquests in reaching the final. Rangers have received a major boost with news that Kemar Roofe has been passed fit for the final. We have to put in a good performance and make them proud.” Victory in Seville would also propel them into next season’s Champions League for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

The former Ibrox boss led the club to back-to-back last 16 finishes before departing for Aston Villa earlier this season. Since then, Gio van Bronckhorst has ...

Gerrard got the Gers back on the European map during his tenure but Van Bronckhorst has managed too see off the likes of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Braga to reach the showpiece final in Seville. Gerrard has taken to Instagram to share a picture of a Rangers scarf in the The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium accompanied by the text, “Good luck Rangers. Let’s go!” Steven Gerrard will be cheering Rangers on in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt after sharing his well wishes to the club.

A look at what the Eintracht Frankfurt starting lineup could be against Rangers in the Europa League final.

Borre has been influential for Eintracht Frankfurt in his first season, bagging 11 goals and eight assists in all competitions. Frankfurt could deploy a back three of Almamy Toure, Evan N'Dicka and Tuta in the final. In the Europa League he has scored against Barcelona and West Ham en route to the final.

Rangers will look to secure a historic achievement tonight when they play Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final. We' ...

But I played in a World Cup final, played extra time in the World Cup final and lost it. Rangers regained their form in time for the second leg and Tavernier hit a double and the visitors had a man sent off before the interval. The Light Blues sent out another statement with a 3-0 Ibrox win over the Serbian champions thanks to another Tavernier penalty plus goals from Morelos and Balogun. Red Star had three goals disallowed for offside, hit the bar and were thwarted by an Allan McGregor penalty save so the tie was far from over and the Gers goalkeeper needed to be at his best in Serbia. But Ryan Kent netted on the counter to make it 1-1 and a late penalty for the hosts proved irrelevant. Gers fans enjoyed one of their greatest European trips as the tournament favourites were stunned in Germany. The visitors were three up inside 49 minutes thanks to James Tavernier’s penalty, a Morelos tap-in and Lundstram’s curler, and an own goal helped Rangers to a 4-2 win. There were early signs that Giovanni Van Bronckhorst had the Midas touch in Europe when he led his new team into the knockout stages with a 2-0 win over Sparta in his first match in charge. Manager Steven Gerrard missed the trip along with a number of players after Rangers reported positive Covid tests.

Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a good luck message to the Glasgow team as they prepared to take on German side Eintracht Frankfurt. Scottish Conservative leader ...

With less cash in Scottish football than in some other European leagues, he said getting to the final is “up there with some of the greatest achievements of Scottish clubs”. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross also tweeted to wish Rangers “the very best of luck” for the match. cotland’s First Minister has sent her best wishes to Rangers as the club prepare for the Europa League final in Seville.

The final of the UEFA Europa League is taking place in Seville as Eintracht Frankfurt take on Rangers in the decider. Follow live updates throughout.

5mins John Lundstram with a studs up challenge on Sebastien Rode - nothing malicious but VAR will have a look. Lundstram lucky to get away with it, not even a yellow for the reckless chalenge. 23mins Eintracht will be very happy with their start to this one as they have all the play and are creating opportunities at will.

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It’s the same Rangers XI from the semi-final second leg win over RB Leipzig at Ibrox, but the formation has been tweaked with John Lundstram deployed in midfield. Rangers players have completed their warm-up ahead of kick-off. McGregor makes a save low at the striker’s feet, the ball is only cleared to the edge of the box where a shot comes back in forcing McGregor into a good save. Terrific strike and a confidence boost for Rangers after a spell of Frankfurt dominance. The game has now stopped after John Lundstram caught Eintracht Frankfurt’s Sebastian Rode with a high boot leaving the defender with blood streaming from his head. A possible yellow or even red card shout, but not according to the referee, and VAR have also chosen not to intervene.