MISSING YOU AYE READY
Aaron still hurting over big KOs but he’s desperate to put things right with Seville glory
AARON RAMSEY has three FA Cups, a Serie A success and an Italian Cup in his trophy collection and more money than he could spend in 10 lifetimes. But that doesn’t mean that missing out on two of the biggest matches of his career doesn’t hurt.
Tomorrow night he might just make up for it by helping himself and Rangers to a European trophy.
Suspension robbed the midfielder of a European Championship semi-final for Wales against Portugal in 2016 and injury denied him a place in the Europa League Final for Arsenal against Chelsea in 2019.
Three years on, a place in the final of the same competition is up for grabs and Ramsey, for all his experience, is as thrilled as everyone else at Ibrox at the opportunity Rangers have given themselves.
The 31-year-old Juventus star’s spell at Ibrox has been blighted by injury but Ramsey is now fit and firing .
While the smart money is on him returning to Italy after Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final, he is relishing the prospect of playing himself into Ibrox folklore by helping them beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Asked where a place in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team for Sevilla would rank in his career, Ramsey insisted: “It’s definitely right up there, to play in a final in a European competition. They don’t come around very often.
“I missed the Arsenal one a few years back, hopefully I can make up for it in this one. For me to miss it through injury was tough but hopefully I get an opportunity now to make up for that.
“There’s a lot of excitement around the club. We’ve put ourselves in an unbelievable position. We’ve produced some memorable results and performances throughout this campaign and now there’s just one step further and we’re there.
“We have a chance of creating history with this club. There’s a lot of energy around the place. Just looking forward to the game, you’re one game away from making history.”
Ramsey has featured in only two of Rangers’ 18 games in Europe this season – a cameo in the 4-2 win over Borussia
Dortmund in Germany and a start in the superb quarter-final win over Braga at Ibrox – but also featured twice for Juventus in the Champions League group stage. He has seen it and done most of it in his career but the Welshman admits he has been knocked out by the European nights he has savoured in Govan, whether on the pitch, on the bench or in the stands.
“When I came here I knew about the atmosphere but until you actually experience it then it doesn’t quite do it justice. The fans have been superb throughout my time here,” he said.
“The European nights have been pretty special, the stands shaking and bouncing, it’s quite unique. I know it’s obviously very difficult to reach this stage, you need a bit of luck along the way, but some of our performances have been brilliant.
“There is a lot of quality in this squad. For us to have done what we’ve done, I’m not surprised with what we’ve got and how we’ve gone about it.
“Now it’s about one more big effort to try to come away with the trophy.
“We’ve adapted our gameplan throughout the competition. It’s about putting it into one game and giving absolutely everything to walk off that pitch with the trophy.” Ramsey played for an hour at Tynecastle on Saturday while the majority of the first-team squad were wrapped in cotton wool but the former Arsenal midfielder was pleased to get more minutes into his legs after recovering from the hamstring injury that forced him out of the Scottish Cup semi-final.
He will be available for the final of that one against Hearts but right now the sole focus is on Frankfurt.
Ramsey added: “I’m good, I’ve been training and got some minutes in over the last couple of games. I’m good to go.
“It has been a pretty hectic schedule but that’s to be expected. We have a good squad and rotations.
“It’s a great group, a very level-headed squad, so there are no issues about anybody getting carried away. We’re here for a reason and the squad has been a different class throughout. It’s going to be no different for the final.”
As for his contract situation, Ramsey, who has a year left on his Juventus deal, is keeping his cards close to his chest – and that won’t change until after the Scottish Cup Final.
“That’s to be decided at the end of the season, there is no update on that yet,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to the final few weeks here and hopefully making it a very memorable experience for me.
“I’m sure there will be conversations to be had after the season is finished but right now I’m just focused on trying to win these two competitions with Rangers.”