Pro Sports

Frankfurt fans go wild after 42-year wait for European title

Posted May 19, 2022 7:00 am

By CIARÃN FAHEY

Eintracht Frankfurt fans celebrate their team's victory against the Rangers in the Europa League final soccer match, in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Frankfurt defeated the Rangers 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match had ended in a 1-1 draw. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) - Eintracht Frankfurt fans waited long enough.

When Rafael BorrÃ© struck the decisive penalty for Frankfurt to win the Europa League with a 5-4 shootout win over Glasgow Rangers in Sevilla, Spain, late Wednesday, thousands of fans who packed Frankfurt's home stadium to watch in Germany flipped out.

Some 60,000 supporters in and around Frankfurt's Waldstadion erupted in an ecstatic outburst of joy and relief, with fans screaming, jumping, pumping their fists in the air, hugging and roaring. Some lit flares in the center of the field, others flew giant Eintracht flags. Some even cried.

City streets filled with honking cars as strangers wearing Frankfurt scarves spilled out of pubs, embraced each other and celebrated together.

It was Frankfurt's first European trophy since Fred Schaub scored the winner against Borussia MÃ¶nchengladbach to win the 1980 UEFA Cup, the predecessor to the Europa League.

Forty-two years.

Frankfurt fans' wait was cruelly extended through the drama of extra time and penalties after Oliver Glasner's team failed to make more of several good early chances against Rangers.

So BorrÃ©'s goal '“ the Colombian forward's second of the game after his second-half equalizer '“ set off a wild party.

Even the normally restrained Glasner, the quiet Austrian coach who led Frankfurt unbeaten through Europe's secondary competition, joined the celebrations with his players at Sevilla's RamÃ³n SÃ¡nchez-PizjuÃ¡n Stadium.

'œI'm going to party till Saturday and I'm going on vacation on Sunday,'ť Glasner said.

Glasner can look forward to getting the team ready for the European Super Cup against Real Madrid or Liverpool in Helsinki on Aug. 10, and then for the Champions League, which Frankfurt reached by winning Wednesday's final.

Those games will provide a welcome windfall for Frankfurt, especially after the loss in earnings caused by the coronavirus pandemic, when most Bundesliga games were played with little or no crowds.

But sporting director Markus KrÃ¶sche said the club will not be changing its transfer strategy because it has reached Europe's premier competition. He said the club will continue to work 'œcleverly and in a forward direction.'ť

Club president Peter Fischer agreed.

'œWe're not going to go on a shopping trip just because we qualified for the Champions League,'ť Fischer said. 'œWe might strengthen in one or two areas, but there will be no harikari in this club.'ť

Frankfurt, which finished 11th in the Bundesliga, hopes the Europa League win can steer it toward a new successful era.

'œIt's a bit easier when you're recruiting players if you can say that you don't know if you'll be playing Liverpool or Real Madrid, but perhaps you'd like to be there? It sounds better than Greuther FÃ¼rth,'ť Fischer said, referring to the team that just finished last in the Bundesliga.

Frankfurt will also look to secure the future of some of its top performers.

Brazilian defender Tuta has already extended his contract by three years to 2026, but Filip Kostic, Daichi Kamada and Evan Ndicka all have just a year left at the club.

Star player Kostic'~s case is of particular importance for Frankfurt fans.

'œHe still has a year on his contract,'ť Glasner said after Wednesday's match. 'œWe spoke on the field but I won't say what. I don't think that was his last game.'ť

Meanwhile, the party was set to continue with around 100,000 fans expected in Frankfurt for the team's return on Thursday.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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CiarÃ¡n Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP

Eintracht Frankfurt fans celebrate their team's victory against the Rangers in the Europa League final soccer match with smoke bombs and Bengalos in the Bornheim district of Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Frankfurt defeated the Rangers 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match had ended in a 1-1 draw. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Fans of Eintracht Frankfurt celebrate their team's victory against the Glasgow Rangers in the Europa League final soccer match at the "Moseleck" scene pub, in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Frankfurt defeated the Rangers 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the game had ended in a 1-1 draw. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Eintracht Frankfurt fans celebrate their team's victory in the Europa League final soccer match, in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Wednesday, May 18, 2022, after Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match had ended in a 1-1 draw. (Boris Roessler/dpa via AP) The Associated Press

Frankfurt players lift the trophy for winners of the Europa League final soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers FC at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville, Spain, Thursday, May 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Pablo Garcia) The Associated Press

Frankfurt's Rafael Santos Borre, right, celebrates after scoring the winning penalty during a shootout at the end of the Europa League final soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Rangers FC at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Seville, Spain, Wednesday, May 18, 2022. Frankfurt defeated Rangers 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the game ended tied 1-1. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) The Associated Press

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