For weeks, Seville had been the destination for Rangers’ European journey and it was here at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan where it came to a sudden and crushing end. Joe Aribo’s second-half finish had put Rangers within touching distance of a first European trophy in 50 years, but Eintracht Frankfurt equalised, took it to penalties and it was there where this once-in-a-generation final went the way of the German side.
Ryan Kent had the chance to win it in the dying seconds of extra time, the opportunity to claim the Europa League there for the taking. He was denied by the outstretched leg of Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, who would be the hero in the shoot-out. Aaron Ramsey’s miss was pivotal, and there was a cruel irony to the fact that the player who had the most experience of nights such as these was the one to blink first. Rafael Borre, who scored the equaliser to deny Rangers, would also provide the finishing blow with a perfect penalty to the top corner.
