Rangers have reached the 2022 Europa League final with Eintracht Frankfurt after a harder path to Seville than Liverpool took for a Champions League final spot against Real Madrid.
The Gers secured their place in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium affair after claiming a 3-2 aggregate win over RB Leipzig. Die Roten Bullen arrived at Ibrox on Thursday night with a single-goal lead from last week’s semi-final first-leg in Saxony, but failed to finish the job.
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Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side will now face Die Adler in Spain after Oliver Glasner’s men eliminated West Ham United 3-1. The Hammers suffered a 1-0 defeat with 10-men at the Deutsche Bank Park after Aaron Cresswell’s red card to follow a 2-1 defeat in their first-leg.
Rangers reaching the Europa League final sees two British sides compete for a UEFA trophy this term with Liverpool in the Champions League final. The Reds overcame Villarreal in the semi-finals 5-2 on aggregate after a seismic shift in the second-half of the second-leg affair.
Liverpool seemed certain to reach the final in Paris after a 2-0 first-leg win at Anfield. But a sprightly start from Unai Emery’s side saw El Submarino Amarillo draw level at the break in Spain. Yet Jurgen Klopp’s squad emerged a new side and stormed to a 3-2 second-leg win.
Rangers’ path to the Europa League final with Eintracht Frankfurt on May 18 was arguably harder than Liverpool’s route to the Champions League final with Real Madrid on May 28. So, how do the Gers’ and Red’s routes to their respective 2022 European finals stack up?
Liverpool unbeaten in difficult Group B as path to Champions League final began
UEFA drew Liverpool in a difficult Group B as the Anfield natives’ path to the Champions League final began. The Reds faced meetings with the 2020/21 La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, as well as Serie A runners up AC Milan – who have pushed for the title this season.
Yet the Colchoneros, Rossoneri and Porto were no match for the Merseyside outfit as the Reds went unbeaten. Liverpool were one of just three sides to go through the group stage without tasting defeat. They also scored 17 goals to just six conceded across their six wins.
Rangers, meanwhile, narrowly escaped Group A as runners-up to Lyon as their path to the Europa League final began. Van Bronckhorst’s men pipped Sparta Prague by a point after claiming just their second win of the round against the Czech side before drawing at Lyon.
Finishing as runners-up saw the Premiership title-holders enter the knockout round play-offs against Borussia Dortmund. BVB were among the favourites to win the Europa League after crashing out of the Champions League by finishing Group C in third only on goal difference.
A trip to the Westfalenstadion produced one of the performances of the tournament from Rangers, however. The Gers stunned the competition to win 4-2 in Germany in a dominant display. They then finished the job back at Ibrox with a 2-2 draw to reach the round of 16.
Rangers continue tough path to Europa League final as knockout rounds progress
Victory over Borussia Dortmund handed Rangers a tough tie with Red Star Belgrade in the last 16. But the Gers were able to hold on to progress following a 3-0 first-leg win at Ibrox, having later fallen to a 2-1 defeat away in the second-leg after conceding in stoppage-time.
Liverpool, meanwhile, faced the last of the Reds’ truly big tests on route to the Champions League final with Inter Milan. Yet after weathering the Serie A title-holders’ attacks at the San Siro, goals in the second-half by Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah returned a lead.
The Nerazzurri were later able to win 1-0 at Anfield, but never had the dominance to take an aggregate lead. Liverpool would follow the tie with a 6-4 aggregate win over Benfica in the quarter-finals, having made a host of changes for the second-leg after a comfortable win.
Rangers could not take their foot off the gas, though, as they lost their quarter-final first-leg to Braga 1-0. Yet a bouncing Ibrox twice helped inspire a comeback, as David Carmo’s header sent the clash to extra-time. But up step Kemar Roofe to tap in the winning effort.
Ibrox sets the tone for Rangers heroics on route to Europa League final
Van Bronckhorst’s side had to again lean on the Ibrox crowd in their semi-final win over RB Leipzig, as well. Rangers lost 1-0 in Saxony, yet quick-fire hits by James Tavernier and Glen Kamara put them ahead on aggregate until Christopher Nkunku gave RB Leipzig new hope.
It was not to be for the Bundesliga boys, though, as John Lundstram sent Rangers into the Europa League final with Eintracht Frankfurt and Ibrox into delirium 10 minutes from time. Liverpool, on the other hand, appeared in complete control after their semi-final first-leg.
Klopp’s men dominated Villarreal as Emery sought to keep things close at Anfield, but lost 2-0. Yet the second-leg saw the Reds produce one of their worst displays of the season so far to trail 2-0 at half-time. But Liverpool restored normality to take a 3-2 on the night win.
Rangers’ path to the Europa League final and a date in Seville with Eintracht Frankfurt could have ended at any point. Liverpool, meanwhile, only ever looked likely of falling out before the Champions League final at their own doing, to set up a 2018 repeat with Real Madrid.
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