‘Monumental achievement’ – Allan McGregor opens up on Rangers reaching Europa League final
Veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor has called Rangers reaching the final of the Europa League a ‘monumental achievement’.
The Gers will face German club Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the competition in Seville on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old, while talking to Guardian, stated that the team have come a long way in the last five years.
“A Scottish club getting of the Europa League final, it shouldn’t really happen, should it? Let’s be honest,” he said. “I know this is a club built on winning trophies but you see Frankfurt winning a semi-final, Real Madrid winning a semi-final and they are celebrating like mad as well.
“We aren’t any different. You need to enjoy these moments because they don’t happen all the time. Four years ago we were just thinking about qualifying [for group stages]. Five years ago we were losing to Progrès Niederkorn.
“I came back to Rangers in 2018. A European final in 2022? If you were being honest with yourself back then, you’d think there was no chance.”
“This next week could be one of the best ever. But if we don’t win anything … I don’t think it will be forgotten about; it has been a monumental achievement. We are a massive club but, if you put it into financial perspective – which I don’t really like doing, unlike you – given the teams we have beaten it is crazy to be here.”
History in the making
Those words are a testament to the Rangers’ achievement as they surpassed everyone’s expectations to reach a point where they just need to win a single match to lift their first major European title when they will take the field at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Those words also show the leadership qualities of a player like McGregor who has been influential between the sticks for the club, keeping 16 clean sheets in total in just 46 appearances for the club in all competitions.
The Gers reached the last two by beating Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, that too by overturning a first-leg deficit.
Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the fans will be hoping that his players will continue the winning momentum and create history on Wednesday.
However, they will have a stern test as they will go up against an opposition who have already defeated tournament favourites Barcelona in the last-eight clash.
In other Rangers news, One 25-year-old could now be deemed as surplus to requirements at Ibrox this season