Dick Advocaat fervently hopes that Giovanni van Bronckhorst will relieve him on Wednesday evening. The former Rangers manager was the last Dutch trainer to win a European prize in 2008. At the time, Advocaat won with Zenit Saint Petersburg from Rangers (0-2) in the final of the UEFA Cup. The Scottish superpower, trained by Van Bronckhorst for several months, will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the Europa League.
“Giovanni is a great boy,” says Advocaat, who had Van Bronckhorst under his wing as Rangers manager, in conversation with the General Newspaper† “I very much hope that he beats Eintracht Frankfurt. Getting to that final is already wonderful. But if he can deliver Rangers, which I also have a very good feeling about as a former trainer, that prize, then he can no longer break there.” The fact that Advocaat may get a successor on Wednesday evening is no problem for him. “That he would play me out of the books is no problem at all. He deserves that if he wins.”
† “GIOOO, GIOOO!”#sgerfc #uelfinal pic.twitter.com/496vzLoEte
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) May 18, 2022
With a win over Frankfurt in Seville, the second European prize for Rangers is a fact. The last achievement in Europe dates back to 1972, when the European Cup II was won. The German opponent was last successful in a European context in 1980. More than forty years ago, the UEFA Cup was a prey for Frankfurt. Van Bronckhorst can also conquer the Scottish Cup on Saturday, if Heart of Midlothian is beaten. The national title was won last weekend by fellow townsman and rival Celtic.
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