It was not the only European Cup title for a Scottish side: Celtic had won the 1967 Champions League and Aberdeen FC, under the direction of Sir Alex Ferguson, the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983. In the Europa League and its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, no Scottish team had ever made it to the final – which is one of the reasons why Rangers’ unexpected coup on the British Isles is being celebrated as an event of historic proportions: “Nostradamus might have predicted the Great Fire in London and the French Revolution correctly, but he never saw this amazing Rangers success story coming either“, it said at the BBC.
Bankruptcy and forced relegation in 2012
With reaching the final, the Rangers have freed themselves a bit more from their changeable, troubled recent past: ten years ago, Scotland’s record champions were on the ground and had to file for bankruptcy. After years of mismanagement and megalomania, when international success was sought and expensive stars like Ronald de Boer on the Ibrox Park lured. After restarting in the fourth division, with a new operating company but the old, traditional name, the Rangers fought their way back to the national top and last season won their first championship after being forced down.
Final against Frankfurt – “Game of the Century”
In the league, Rangers lost a big lead after the turn of the year and will probably have to write off their title defense – but the chance of triumphing in the Europa League should be more than a consolation. With a victory in the final in Seville, Rangers would even have qualified directly for the Champions League. Rangers are now even slightly favored against Frankfurt, after they have now eliminated Leipzig after BVB – two teams that appear to be significantly stronger than Eintracht, at least in terms of their cast.
For the Rangers it is the”game of the century“, commented the BBC and discovered in the impressive performance against the next German top club also a “renaissance as an offensive power”, in addition to the usual fighting strength. “Forget what the bookmakers say. Nothing seems to be able to stop the Rangers.”