Glasgow Rangers have loved loads of fantastic European nights all through their historical past, significantly since they made it to the group levels of the inaugural Champions League marketing campaign in 1992/93.
Previous to that, the Gentle Blues had reached three European Cup Winners’ Cup finals, profitable in 1972, however the membership’s exploits within the Champions League and Europa League during the last 30 years have enabled a brand new technology of supporters to see the Gers do effectively on the continent.
Rangers’ earlier European finals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Season | Competitors | Opponent | Rating |
2021/22 | Europa League | Frankfurt | Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers (5-4 pens) |
2007/08 | UEFA Cup | Zenit | Zenit 2-0 Rangers |
1971/72 | Cup Winners’ Cup | Dynamo Moscow | Rangers 3-2 Dynamo Moscow |
1966/67 | Cup Winners’ Cup | Bayern Munich | Bayern Munich 1-0 Rangers (aet) |
1960/61 | Cup Winners’ Cup | Fiorentina | Rangers 1-4 Fiorentina (agg.) |
The Gentle Blues have an amazing probability of progressing to the final 16 of the Europa League this season. With this in thoughts, now we have taken a glance again at among the best European nights the Gers have loved since 1992.
8
Rangers 3-2 Braga
Europa League spherical of 32, 2019/20
Following a powerful begin to the 2019/20 marketing campaign, Rangers endured a stoop following the winter break, permitting Celtic to take the lead within the Scottish Premiership title race.
The Europa League seemed like the one salvation because the membership ready to tackle Braga of their last-32, first-leg conflict at Ibrox in February.
The Portuguese aspect took a two-goal lead in Glasgow, however with the clock ticking down, Joe Aribo skipped previous a number of defenders to attain.
Bedlam ensued minutes later as Ianis Hagi scored a free-kick earlier than the January signing stole the present with a nice particular person effort to seal a 3-2 comeback win. Ibrox was rocking, they usually went on to win the second leg 1-0 the next week.
7
Rangers 1-1 Inter
Champions League group stage, 2005/06
Domestically, the Gentle Blues had been dismal in the course of the 2005/06 season, ending third within the league. Within the Champions League, nonetheless, they made historical past.
They had been a special animal in Europe, defeating Porto within the group levels. So as to safe passage to the knockout levels, turning into the primary Scottish membership to take action within the course of, they needed to get not less than a draw in opposition to Inter at Ibrox.
Adriano opened the scoring for the away aspect earlier than Peter Lovenkrands scored with a neat end to ship the Gers into the final 16, the place they ended up dropping to Villarreal on away objectives.
6
Rangers 2-0 Parma
Champions League qualifying, 1999/00
Parma had been top-of-the-line groups on the continent within the mid-to-late 90s, and had gained the UEFA Cup the season earlier than this Champions League qualifying conflict.
Dick Advocaat’s Rangers aspect despatched them packing within the first leg, as objectives from Tony Vidmar and Claudio Reyna secured the membership’s best European lead to years.
Many anticipated Parma to reply within the second leg, however they might solely win 1-0, thus dropping on combination.
5
Leeds United 1-2 Rangers
Champions League second spherical, 1992/93
Rangers weren’t given a lot of an opportunity in opposition to Leeds United in the course of the 1992/93 season because the champions of England and Scotland confronted off in a ‘Battle of Britain’ to see who would seal a spot within the group levels of the Champions League.
Within the first version of the revamped competitors, two rounds preceded an eight-team group stage, the place the winners of the 2 teams would face one another within the last.
Having secured a snug 3-0 combination win over Danish outfit Lyngby within the first spherical, the Gers recorded a surprising 2-1 win over Leeds at Ibrox – however higher was to come back a couple of weeks later at Elland Highway.
A elegant volley by Mark Hateley put the Gentle Blues within the driving seat earlier than Ally McCoist netted his twenty ninth purpose of the season – in November – by way of a diving header to make sure Rangers gained the battle.
In the long run, they missed out on the ultimate by a single level. So shut, but to this point.
4
Lyon 0-3 Rangers
Champions League group stage, 2007/08
This consequence proved that Rangers might combine it up with the perfect groups in Europe. Having gained their opening sport in opposition to Stuttgart, the Gers headed to Lyon to face a membership who had gained their seventh league title in a row.
First-half objectives from Lee McCulloch, Daniel Cousin and DaMarcus Beasley despatched the French aspect right into a daze, with the Gers wanting imperious.
They even secured some extent in opposition to Barcelona of their subsequent sport. The final three video games resulted in defeat as Rangers slipped into the UEFA Cup, the place one other journey was about to start…
3
Fiorentina 0-0 Rangers
UEFA Cup semi-final second leg, 2007/08
Slipping into Europe’s secondary competitors wasn’t what Walter Smith would have had in thoughts, however after sending Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and Sporting CP packing, all that stood between them and the ultimate was Fiorentina.
A colorless 0-0 draw at Ibrox was adopted by an excellent worse sport in Italy. It was clear the Scottish aspect had been enjoying for penalties, however when Barry Ferguson missed their first, it seemed as if the plan backfired.
Nonetheless, it was left to Nacho Novo to ship the Gentle Blues into their first European last since 1972, and he dispatched his effort with ease, sending the travelling assist delirious.
2
Borussia Dortmund 2-4 Rangers
Europa League knockout spherical play-off, 2021/22
After ending second of their group, Giovanni van Bronckhorst led Rangers to the knockout play-offs of the Europa League, but a conflict in opposition to Borussia Dortmund – who had dropped down from the Champions League – was solely anticipated to finish in defeat.
What occurred subsequent will certainly go down as one of the emphatic wins within the membership’s European historical past. They raced right into a two-goal lead, earlier than including a 3rd by John Lundstram.
Dortmund pulled one again, however an personal purpose noticed the sport end 4-2 to the away aspect.
The next week, a 2-2 draw enabled the Gentle Blues to seal development to the final 16 – however that wasn’t the tip of the story.
1
Rangers 3-1 RB Leipzig
Europa League semi-final second leg, 2021/22
The Gers had sneaked by on penalties of their final European semi-final, however that wouldn’t be the case this time.
A 1-0 loss in Germany left the house aspect with loads of work to do in opposition to RB Leipzig. Objectives from James Tavernier and Glen Kamara gave the Ibrox aspect a 2-0 lead as they edged nearer to the ultimate.
It seemed as if Christopher Nkunku’s purpose would deny them a spot in Seville, though Lundstram had Ibrox shaking as he netted what turned out to be the purpose that despatched the membership to a fifth European finale.
The membership could have misplaced the showpiece occasion, however the journey was extraordinary.
