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This is the first time that a German club has won the Europa League under this name, which appeared in 2010. Eintracht Frankfurt, winners in 1980 of the old version of this European Cup then called the UEFA European Cup, won on Wednesday. May 18 in Seville (Spain), against Glasgow Rangers after the penalty shootout (5-4) after the draw (1-1) at the end of regulation time and overtime.
This success, the “Eagles” owe in large part to their imperial archer, Kevin Trapp. After signing two decisive stops at the end of extra time, the first ahead of Ryan Kent (118Y) then on a free throw by James Tavernier (120Y+2), the former Paris-Saint-Germain goalkeeper stopped Welsh veteran Aaron Ramsey’s attempt to crown his team on penalties.
Rafael Borré, who already scored the equalizer for the German club in ’69Y Minute after the opening of the Rangers scoring signed Joe Aribo (57Y), sealed Eintracht’s victory with a final shot on target, to end the perfect session with five successful shots from five.
a bloody start
A historic achievement for Eintracht, who notably defeated FC Barcelona and West Ham to reach the final, and culminate their laurel-crowned odyssey on a hot Andalusian night, in front of nearly 44,000 fans at the Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium.
Oliver Glasner thus became the first Austrian coach to lift a European trophy since the legendary Ernst Happel in 1983 (winner of C1 with Hamburg).
“We played thirteen games in Europe and we haven’t lost any this season. I have no words to describe the hard work these guys have put in to get this far.” exclaimed the Eintracht coach.
For the Scots, on the other hand, the disappointment is immense: the “Gers” have also been waiting fifty years to regain European glory, since their European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.
If the game had been hung up until the end, it could have degenerated from the start: at 5Y Minute, John Lundstram kicked the ball a little too high, and his studs hit the front of the skull of Eintracht captain Sebastian Rode, who lay down on the grass and immediately put his hands on his bloody wound. Care for a long time by the trainers, he will return to the grass with a blue and white bandage around his head, after changing his blood-soaked jersey.
“A historic night”
Apart from this incident, the first period turned out to be quite disappointing. The two teams fought for possession, with a lot of technical waste. We will have to wait half an hour to see the Scot’s first attempt: a ball rolled up the left by Joe Aribo that did not reach the frame, but forced Trapp to extend with his whole body, just before an essential freshness break.
Because the thermometer exceeded 40ºC in Seville during the day on Wednesday. And it was the fans of both teams that set the stands on fire, with chants, drums and tifo for the Germans. The hell of Pizjuán really took shape around the locker room, when the “white wall” of the German fans lit red smoke to lead their team to the final victory, and put an end to a 42-year drought on the continental scene.
“I had dreamed of that night, that it was going to be a historic night for the club, a historic night for me,” Colombian striker Rafael Santos Borré said. ” Now let’s take advantage of it. [Les supporteurs] they are fantastic, they always accompany us everywhere, and this title belongs to them in part, that’s for sure”, He concluded.
“Playing a European final and losing it always hurts” admitted the coach of the Dutch Rangers, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst. ” It didn’t work out for us, but I can’t blame my players after all they gave. (…)I know what it is, I lost a World Cup final, the biggest game that can exist. But you’re always moving oncheer up.
Rangers player James Tavernier did not score in this Europa League final but finished as the competition’s top scorer (7 goals), a first for a defender. But small consolation compared to the disappointment of the night.
The winners of the Europa League from its new formula
2010: Atletico Madrid (ESP)
2011: Porto (BY)
2012: Atletico Madrid (ESP)
2013: Chelsea (ENG)
2014: Seville F.C. (ESP)
2015: Sevilla F.C. (ESP)
2016: Seville F.C. (ESP)
2017: Manchester United (ESP)
2018: Atletico Madrid (ESP)
2019: Chelsea (ESP)
2020: Sevilla F.C. (ESP)
2021: Villarreal (ESP)
2022: Eintracht Frankfurt (ALE)