Lucky trousers for a big dream

HISTORY: RANGERS, FRANKFURT TURN BACK THE CLOCK

Berlin – Oliver Glasner hopes his lucky trousers will play their part in helping Eintracht Frankfurt win a first European trophy in 42 years when they face Rangers in the Europa League final today.

The 47-year-old head coach wants his blue trousers ready for the “biggest game” of his career in Seville, having worn them on the touchline during the wins over Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham United in the previous rounds.

“My lucky trousers had to be cleaned, they’re still at the dry cleaners. I hope I get them back in time,” quipped the Austrian, as Frankfurt hope to capture their first piece of European silverware since lifting the Uefa Cup in 1980.

Frankfurt’s run to the final is due more to hard work than luck, however. –

Ten years after financial oblivion plunged them into Scotland’s bottom tier, Rangers are on the brink of lifting their first European trophy in half a century as they meet Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the Europa League tonight.

Administration, liquidation and relegation all blighted a broken club in 2012 but if the Rangers recovery was complete when they won the Scottish Premiership again last season, a final in Seville now offers them a shot at European glory too.

“We’re one game away from making history,” Rangers midfielder Aaron Ramsey said this week as the squad departed for Spain, the final leg of a journey that began eight months ago in defeat and disappointment.

With the chance to play in the Champions League on the back of winning the Scottish title, Rangers instead lost to Malmo in the third qualifying round, a result that set up a play-off to reach the Europa League with Alashkert from Armenia.

There were more prestigious opponents to come as Rangers, under Giovanni van Bronckhorst from November after Steven Gerrard left for Aston Villa, defeated Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Belgrade, Braga and Leipzig in the knock-out rounds to reach their first European final in 14 years.

A victory would earn the club its first cup on the continent since Rangers beat Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in Barcelona to lift the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.

“This is a chance for them to be in the history books of this club and really get an historic win,” sad Van Bronckhorst.

“I’ve said it before you have to dream of something to really achieve it. You can work hard and really give everything to achieve your goal and that is beautiful.”

Frankfurt will start the match as favourites after knocking out Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham to elevate an underwhelming campaign that saw them finish 11th in the Bundesliga.

It will be Frankfurt’s first European final since beating Borussia Moenchengladbach to win the Uefa Cup in 1980 while the club retains happy memories of games against Rangers, after thrashing the Glasgow side 12-4 on aggregate in the semifinals of the European Cup 20 years before.

“They were the best team I’d ever seen in my life,” said Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United manager who was in the crowd at Hampden. “And then they got slaughtered 7-3 by Real Madrid in the final.”

The crowd are expected to play a huge part at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, with up to 100 000 Rangers fans and at least 60 000 Frankfurt supporters expected to follow their teams to Seville, raising concerns about security in the city.

“They’re expecting a rush in Seville that the city hasn’t seen before,” Frankfurt chief executive Axel Hellman said. “It’s going to be a unique gathering of the most vocal and enthusiastic fans in Europe.”

Rangers’ top scorer Alfredo Morelos will miss the game with a thigh injury.

Frankurt forward Jesper Lindstrom is hoping to shake off a hamstring strain in time for the final, with Jens Petter Hauge ready to stand in.