RANGERS go head to head with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League Final tonight and you can find out more about our German opposition here.
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
Formed: 1899
Stadium: Deutsche Bank Park
Stadium Capacity: 51,500
Nickname: Die Adler (The Eagles)
Manager: Oliver Glasner
League Position 2021/22: 11th (Bundesliga)
Captain: Sebastian Rode
HISTORY
Eintracht Frankfurt, formed in 1899, are one of the founding members of the German league but they have only been crowned the country’s champions once, in 1959, when they were one of the top sides in Europe.
The club has also won the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) on five occasions in 1973/74, 1974/75, 1980/81, 1987/88 and 2017/18 and the UEFA Cup in 1980 when they beat Borussia Monchengladbach in the final over two legs.
Eintracht are nicknamed "Die Adler" (The Eagles) which derives from their crest, which is based on the city of Frankfurt’s coat of arms.
STADIUM
Eintracht’s Waldstadion was opened in 1925 but it has been upgraded several times since then and now has a capacity of 51,500.
Currently known as Deutsche Back Park for sponsorship purposes, the arena has also been used for American football, ice hockey and as a concert venue.
MANAGER
47-year-old Oliver Glasner is the man responsible for leading Eintracht Frankfurt to their first European final for 42 years.
The Austrian, a former defender for SV Ried, had guided Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg to a fourth place finish in the league and a place in the Champions League before taking over the reins at Eintracht, signing a three-year deal which runs until the summer of 2024.
On Wednesday, Glasner and Giovanni van Bronckhorst are bidding to become the first coaches from, respectively, Austria and the Netherlands to win the UEFA Europa League.
Oliver Glasner: "I think we have had a lot of special moments. I could talk about every game. We had our great win in Barcelona and we won both games against a Premier League team, but the most special moment will be the final. When we started, I didn't expect the end of this journey would be the final.”
PREVIOUS MEETING
Eintracht and Rangers have been paired together just once previously in European competition, the German club comprehensively beating the Light Blues in the semi-final of the 1959/60 European Cup when they followed a 6-1 home win with a 6-3 second-leg victory at Ibrox.
Paul Osswald's side returned to Glasgow for the final, which they lost 7-3 at Hampden Park to Real Madrid.
KEY PLAYER
22-year-old Frenchman Evan Ndicka has been an impressive performer for Eintracht this season in the Bundesliga and the Europa League, with both Manchester United and Newcastle United rumoured to be watching the £17million-rated central defender who can also slot in at left-back.
FORM IN EUROPE THIS SEASON
Eintracht kicked off their 2021/22 European campaign in the UEFA Europa League group stage and go into the final undefeated after 12 matches.
They topped Group D with 12 points ahead of Olympiacos, Fenerbahce and Antwerp to qualify directly for the round of 16, where they eliminated Real Betis after extra time.
They then claimed another Spanish scalp in the quarter-final, knocking out Barcelona with a memorable 3-2 victory in the Nou Camp following another 1-1 draw in Frankfurt, before winning both semi-final legs against West Ham United, 2-1 away and 1-0 home.
INTERNATIONAL TEAMMATES
Eintracht midfielder Kristijan Jakic and Rangers' Borna Barisic both play for Croatia, while striker Rafael Santos Borre, who scored Frankfurt’s winner in the semi-final second leg against West Ham United, and injured Gers forward Alfredo Morelos are teammates when on international duty with Colombia
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