For both teams, the objective will be to reconnect with their glorious past: Rangers have not won anything on the continental scene for fifty years and the European Cup Winners' Cup (1972);

Eintracht have not been crowned in Europe since their UEFA Cup in 1980.

The German "Eagles" and the Scottish "Gers" will therefore be counting on their loyal supporters to win this new continental trophy.

More than 80,000 Scottish fans and 50,000 German fans are expected in Seville according to club estimates, and additional flights have even been scheduled to reach the Andalusian capital.

Only 10,000 tickets had yet been made available to each of the two clubs.

"We are going to Seville!"

During the last Bundesliga match in Mainz (2-2) on Saturday, Eintracht fans kept chanting: “We are going to Seville!”.

A fan zone has been organized at the Cartuja stadium, another stadium in Seville, where nearly 60,000 people without an entry ticket for the Pizjuan will still be able to watch the match live on Wednesday evening.

They will be better off than those remaining in Glasgow, since the club has given up broadcasting the match in its lair of Ibrox Park due to a lack of "qualified personnel" to supervise such an event.

In Frankfurt, the "Biergarten" will be full and the club has sold 50,000 tickets for the live broadcast in the stadium.

Security will be one of the major fears in Sevilla, especially after the violent incidents that marred the 2008 UEFA Cup final in Manchester, won by Zenit Saint Petersburg against Rangers (2-0).

After a breakdown, of uncertain origin, of a giant screen, clashes broke out between the police and a handful of supporters.

Rangers with Aaron Ramsey (right) in the lead, prepare for the Europa League final, during training, on May 12, 2022 in Glasgow ANDY BUCHANAN AFP / Archives

Opposite, the white tide will again break.

"We are going to see two teams who have a similar style of play and who will be carried by their fans. It will be one of the most interesting finals for a long time," said German goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, who described the course as his team of "beautiful and exciting".

“Our heart has been beating for two weeks”

In addition to the historic feat against Barça, eliminated in the quarter-finals at Camp Nou, Eintracht signed an odyssey full of twists and turns to reach the final.

The "Eagles" scored a last-second goal to win in Antwerp in September.

In Piraeus in November, they did it again to secure first place in the group against Olympiakos.

And in the return against Betis Sevilla, they equalized in the 120th minute to validate their ticket to the quarters.

"Our heart has been beating for two weeks already. Everyone is excited for this final, we see it everywhere in town (...) We will bring back this cup", promised the Swiss midfielder Djibril Sow.

The ultras of Eintracht Frankfurt present in number during the quarter-final of the Europa League played at Camp Nou, April 14, 2022 Lluis GENE AFP / Archives

On the Scottish side, the road to Seville has been littered with capital successes.

The "Gers" notably eliminated Dortmund (4-2, 2-2) and Leipzig (0-1, 3-1 after extra time), two regular C1 teams who finished far ahead of Frankfurt (11th) in the Bundesliga.

After interrupting Celtic's run of 9 titles last season, Rangers were cut short in November by the sudden departure of coach Steven Gerrard (replaced by Giovanni van Bronckhorst), and saw their four-point lead melt away. in the league, to fail in second place.

Whether 50 or 42, on Wednesday in Seville, a long drought of European glory will end for Rangers or Eintracht: in the hot Andalusian night, one of the two teams will succeed Villarreal, the last winner of the C3 last year, and will offer a sesame for the group stage of the prestigious Champions League next season.

© 2022 AFP