Rangers vs Eintracht Frankfurt LIVE: Europa League final result and reaction as Frankfurt win on penalties
Rangers 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Frankfurt win 5-4 on pens): Follow reaction from the Europa League final as Frankfurt beat Rangers in a shootout
Rangers suffered penalty shootout heartache in Seville as Eintracht Frankfurt came from behind to dramatically win the Europa League final.
Makeshift centre-forward Joe Aribo put the Rangers fans in dreamland when he slotted home following a slip in the German side’s defence in the 57th minute.
Frankfurt levelled 12 minutes later when Rafael Borre knocked the ball home from close range following a low cross.
Gers finished extra-time strongly and Ryan Kent was brilliantly denied at close range before Steven Davis had a shot cleared off the line, while James Tavernier had a free-kick saved in stoppage-time of the 1-1 draw.
Aaron Ramsey, a 117th-minute substitute, saw his spot-kick saved and Borre netted to seal a 5-4 shootout win.
Follow reaction from the Europa League final below:
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
The Rangers fans seem to have already taken over the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Seville more than an hour before kick-off.
The Eintracht Frankfurt players have just stepped out onto the pitch for a warm-up and received loud boos from the Scottish contingent.
Incredible atmosphere already.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
This was the moment Rangers booked their place in the Europa League final with a 3-2 aggregate victory over RB Leipzig.
They have also beaten Borussia Dortmund on their way to Seville.
A third and final German side awaits. Can they make it three out of three against Bundesliga clubs?
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
Here are the results of the last 10 Europa League finals (in case you were wondering):
- Villarreal 1-1 Manchester United (Villarreal won 11-10 on penalties)
- Sevilla 3-2 Inter Milan
- Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal
- Atletico Madrid 3-0 Marseille
- Manchester United 2-0 Ajax
- Sevilla 3-1 Liverpool
- Sevilla 3-2 Dnipro
- Sevilla 0-0 Benfica (Sevilla won 4-2 on penalties)
- Chelsea 2-1 Benfica
- Atletico Madrid 3-0 Athletic Bilbao
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
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 making it to the 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.
“Rangers have been one of the best teams in this competition, from a really slow start it must be said, but they’ve got better, grown into it.
“I think Gio (manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst) coming in has helped the football club and the team well.
“He’s taken that forward and that belief forward and turned us into finalists, and he’s done it in some style.”
PM and FM send messages to Rangers ahead of Europa League final
Both Nicola Sturgeon and the Prime Minister have sent their good wishes to Rangers as the club prepare for the Europa League final in Seville.
Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a good luck message to the Glasgow team ahead of Wednesday evening’s match against German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister told MPs in the House of Commons: “I know members across the House will want to join me in offering our best wishes to Rangers for this evening’s match in Seville.”
PM and FM send good luck messages to Rangers ahead of Europa League final
Up to 100,000 Rangers fans are expected in Seville for the game.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
Just imagine if a Celtic shirt wandered into there. The shear carnage.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
Chelsea and Scotland midfielder Erin Cuthbert is in Seville for the Europa League final tonight.
She has made the trip over just three days after winning the FA Cup with Chelsea as they secure a league and cup double thanks to a 3-2 victory over Manchester City.
Now she is in her Rangers shirt ready for this evening and feels confident they can get the job done.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
Rangers have released a rousing video spurring their side on during the last 30 minutes or so.
The Scottish side have only won one European trophy in their history, coming in the form of the 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup when they beat Dynamo Moscow to win the title.
Half a century on from that triumph and they are in another European final - this time against German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
It really is a titanic night for all involved with the Glaswegian club.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers
The grandsons of club legend Walter Smith are among the 100,000 Rangers fans who have flown over to Seville for the Europa League final tonight.
Smith coached the club between 1991 and 1998 and then again from 2007 to 2011.
He passed away in October of last year at the age of 73.
14 years on from Rangers Uefa Cup defeat
It is 14 years since Rangers were last in the final of this tournament - back when it was titled the Uefa Cup (remember those days?!).
Back in 2008, the final was held at the Etihad Stadium and saw Zenit St Petersburg face Rangers for the trophy.
Goals from Igor Denisov Konstantin Zyryanov handed the Russian side the victory after a goalless 72 minutes in Manchester.
Can Rangers avoid another final heartbreak this evening?
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