STAR PREVIEW Weds: Eintracht Frankfurt v Rangers (UEL Final)

Tonight’s Europa League final should be a hugely vibrant contest in Seville, but Rangers fans may have to endure more heartbreak as Eintracht Frankfurt can take the trophy back to Germany.

Frankfurt have gone all in on European success – this has been their only focus for the second half of the season – and that focus has been rewarded with victories over Real Betis (3-2 on aggregate), Barcelona (4-3), and West Ham (3-1) on their route to the final, all backed by huge followings.

It’s quite notable that their run has featured away successes in all three of their knockout ties, including a fantastic 3-2 win at Barcelona in the quarter-finals, and that could stand them in good stead here.

Rangers did win 4-2 at Dortmund in the last 16, but they lost at Red Star, Braga and RB Leipzig during the knockouts and being away from Ibrox, where they’ve been so strong this season, has to be considered a negative.

Rangers’ attacking prowess under Giovanni Van Bronckhorst – who had made giant strides with his squad – is worthy of huge respect, with Ryan Kent, James Tavernier, Fashion Sakala, John Lundstram, Glen Kamara and Scott Wright all making crucial impacts during their run to Seville.

Eintracht Frankfurt v Rangers
UEFA Europa League Final
20:00 BT Sport 1 HD / BT Sport Ultimate HD / BT Sport App / YouTube

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
MAY 1960 EUROPEAN CUP Rangers 3-6 Eintracht Frankfurt
APR 1960 EUROPEAN CUP Eintracht Frankfurt 6-1 Rangers

Past Europa League Finals:
2011-12: Atletico Madrid 3-0 Athletic Bilbao
2012-13: Chelsea 2-1 Benfica
2013-14: Sevilla 0-0 Benfica (AET, Sevilla won 3-2 on penalties)
2014-15: Sevilla 3-2 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
2015-16: Sevilla 3-1 Liverpool
2016-17: Manchester United 2-0 Ajax
2017-18: Atletico Madrid 3-0 Marseille
2018-19: Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal
2019-20: Sevilla 3-2 Inter Milan
2020-21: Villarreal 1-1 Manchester United

However, Eintracht Frankfurt have been versatile during the campaign, with Oliver Glasner’s side manging to overpower Barcelona in and end to end shootout, whilst also riding their luck to take victory from West Ham in the first leg of the semi-final.

They also have plenty of attacking pace, with Filip Kostic and Ansgar Knauff sure to be threats on the flanks, whilst Daichi Kamada, Jesper Lindstrøm and Rafael Santos Borre will make a livewire front three with plenty of movement.

It remains to be seen whether Rangers will employ the attacking style that proved to be too much for Borussia Dortmund (over both legs) and RB Leipzig (at Ibrox), especially with Frankfurt’s key centre-back Martin Hinteregger likely to miss out.

If they do go for it, then Frankfurt could thrive on the counter attack – as they did against West Ham, and Barcelona to a greater extent – but the Germans have also shown plenty of grit in tighter games as well.

Fatigue could play a part here too. Whilst Rangers have been involved in a long battle for the SPL title, Frankfurt have focused only on the Europa League, and that freshness could play a vital part in what could easily be a tight game.

WILLIAM KEDJANYI

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