The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Rangers hit out at cup final problems
Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt have joined forces to try to ensure there is no repeat of the “significant organisational issues” that marred the recent Europa League final between the two teams in Seville.
A shortage of food and water inside the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, as well as concerns surrounding policing and body searches, have been highlighted by supporters of both clubs since the showpiece on May 18.
Officials from Rangers and Frankfurt liaised with Football Supporters Europe (FSE) last week to discuss the problems encountered at the ground and now plan to report back to Uefa and the Spanish authorities in an effort to ensure there is no repeat.
A statement from Rangers yesterday read: “Last Friday, representatives of Eintracht Frankfurt, Rangers FC and
Football Supporters Europe (FSE) met to debrief and discuss several significant organisational issues during the recent Uefa Europa League final in Sevilla.
“These issues could easily have led to even more severe problems on the night and it was only thanks to the calmness and mutual respect of both sets of fans towards each other that there were not more severe injuries suffered.
“All three parties applaud the remarkable calmness of the two fanbases, given the situation they faced.
“Apart from the severe lack of food and – even more critically in the soaring temperatures – of water, there were several organisational problems around policing, body searches and beyond.
“Both clubs, as well as FSE, received a huge amount of complaints and witness statements from fans present in the stadium.
“All three parties will now work jointly to report back to Uefa and the local public authorities in Spain, and will make recommendations to ensure these problems can never occur again at a European final.
“Fans spend a lot of effort, time and money following their teams all over Europe and expect to be treated with respect and dignity while attending football games.
“This expectation was not met at all at the Europa League final in Sevilla.”
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough wants to see Rangers captain Steven Davis sign a new contract at the Ibrox club and believes the 37-year-old can keep going for another two or three seasons.
Davis is part of the 28-strong Northern Ireland squad that has reported for duty in Belfast ahead of Nations League fixtures against Greece, Cyprus and
Kosovo over the next two weeks, but his club future is uncertain with his deal expiring at the end of June.
Reports in Scotland suggest Davis, who has 134 caps for his country, has held positive discussions with the Ibrox club and suggested a new one-year contract could be forthcoming – and confirmation of that would delight Baraclough.
“I think he can play for another couple or three years but that’s me,” he said.
“I don’t want to ramp up any sort of pressure on him. I always get plenty of questions about him and I don’t like talking about the subject of him retiring.
“In the Scottish Cup final I thought he was great.
“He came on in the Europa League final, calmed things down for Rangers at the time, maybe could have even got a goal or two for Rangers as well and he put his penalty away.”