A TOUGH LOSS TO TAKE BUT TV COVERAGE WAS A WINNER

AS Rangers sought to make history in Seville last night, the pressure in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium was not restricted to the Ibrox players and staff. Tasked with capturing and conveying an occasion that could echo down the ages, the significance of the night was not lost on BT Sport. ‘History has already been made but legends await. This will be remembered for ever,’ intoned commentator Rory Hamilton at kick-off. The biggest compliment you could pay the staff of production company Sunset+Vine is that BT’s coverage of Rangers’ run right up to the final will stand the test of time. The broadcaster has had a terrific tournament; from the innovative BatCam view bringing to life the beautiful bedlam erupting at Ibrox Stadium; to Hamilton’s happy knack of finding a neat turn of phrase, most notably in declaring it was ‘Dreamland in Deutschland’ as Rangers shocked Borussia Dortmund in the last 32. BT Sport’s build-up was certainly worthy of the occasion as Ally McCoist (pictured) delivered a stirring monologue charting Rangers’ journey from Brechin to Braga, from Stirling to Seville and a fifth European final. There was also a touching tribute to the last Rangers manager to lead the team to a European final, the late Walter Smith who died last October. ‘I don’t have any doubt Walter was with the players in the semi-final and I honestly believe he’s here tonight as well,’ said an emotional McCoist. All too often the BT Sport productions of English teams in European football tend to ignore the peril of the opposition. But here was a comprehensive look at the threats posed by Eintracht Frankfurt, with former England and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves offering insight. Yet perhaps the one mis-step was that viewers would have doubtless preferred McCoist in the co-commentary role instead of Stephen Craigen and Alex Rae. After a slow burner of a first half, the game burst into life after the break when Joe Aribo suddenly scored. ‘A bolt from the blue… he turns the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan into bedlam,’ said Hamilton. An equaliser from Rafael Borre meant there was an extra 30 nail-biting minutes before Kevin Trapp’s save from Ryan Kent meant the high drama of penalty kicks. In the end, Borre ensured it was an agonising conclusion to a Rangers journey that started against Alashkert of Armenia back in August. A fine run by Rangers was over in agonising fashion but once the pain of defeat subsides the memories made along the way will endure.