Europa League final stats and facts: The key numbers behind Rangers' penalty loss to Eintracht Frankfurt

Nathan Evans

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Europa League final stats and facts: The key numbers behind Rangers' penalty loss to Eintracht Frankfurt image

Eintracht Frankfurt secured a second major European trophy in club history as the German side edged out Rangers on penalties to claim the 2022 UEFA Europa League. 

After a goalless first half in Seville, Joe Aribo struck first for the Scottish giants after a slip from Frankfurt defender Tuta, though just 12 minutes later, Rafael Borre had levelled the match with a smart close-range finish. 

The scoreline then stayed 1-1 throughout extra-time before Aaron Ramsey missed the only spot-kick in the penalty shootout to ensure that Frankfurt would take the trophy back to eastern Germany.  

The Sporting News has dug into the data behind the game, with all the key stats and facts below.

MORE: How the Europa League final was won and lost

First half 

In a largely uneventful first half, it was Frankfurt who took the match to Rangers from kick-off as they went in search of the opening goal.

  • The German side attempted 11 shots at goal in the opening 45 minutes, the second-most they've managed in the first half of any match all season across all competitions.
     
  • That attacking output forced Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor to make a double save in the 11th minute. Those two stops meant that he already recorded more saves in the final at that point than in seven of his previous Europa League appearances this campaign.
     
  • At the other end of the pitch, Rangers managed just three shots in return - their second-lowest first-half tally in any Europa League match this campaign. 
     
  • Winger Ryan Kent was perhaps the pick of the players in the opening 45. He was involved in more duels (9) and surprisingly made more tackles (4) than any other player on the field. 

Second half

  • Aribo opened the scoring on the night as the Rangers midfielder netted his ninth goal of the season across all competitions. That strike saw him equal his best goalscoring return in a Rangers shirt, though it was his first Europa League strike of 2021/22.
     
  • Frankfurt's Borre then netted his 12th goal of the campaign in reply just 12 minutes later after his side had built pressure on the Rangers backline. 
     
  • The striker's close-range finish was supplied by Filip Kostic from the left wing, the Serbian's 13th assist of the season across league and European action. No player has recorded more Europa League assists than him this season (4).
     
  • In fact, since the beginning of the 2018/19 season, only five players have recorded more than Filip Kostic’s 53 assists in league and European action - Thomas Muller (74), Lionel Messi (64), Kevin De Bruyne (62), Angel Di Maria (54) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (54). 
       
  • Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada looked a live wire throughout normal time and by the full-time whistle, he'd recorded more successful passes into the final third (12) and had more touches in the opposition's box (8) than any other player on the pitch.
     
  • Despite shining offensively this season, Rangers’ Tavernier proved key to their defensive success on the night. The full-back topped the charts in the opening 90 minutes of the Europa League final with the most duels attempted (18), most interceptions made (3) and most clearances completed (7), whilst he also won back possession more times than any other player on the field (11).

Extra-time and penalties

  • This tie became just the second across the last eight Europa League finals to head to extra-time, and just the third across the last 12 finals. 
     
  • Frankfurt kept up the pressure throughout extra-time and finished the 120 minutes of action having recorded 22 attempts at goal - their most in any competitive match all season.
     
  • Goalkeeper Trapp denied Kent from close range with a superb save late on before then keeping out a Tavernier free kick in the 120th minute. The latter proving to be his fifth save on the night, the most he's made in a single Europa League match this season.
     
  • This final became just the eighth in UEFA Cup/Europa League history to go to penalties. It was also the first time that back-to-back such finals had gone to penalties after Villarreal defeated Manchester United 11-10 on spot-kicks last season.
     
  • Rangers' Aaron Ramsey was the only player to miss a penalty in the shoot-out, he had netted seven of his previous eight spot-kicks during his career (not including shoot-outs). 

The wrap-up 

  • Eintracht Frankfurt win the UEFA Cup/Europa League for the second time in club history. They previously defeated fellow countrymen Borussia Monchengladbach on away goals after a 3-3 draw in 1979/80. 
     
  • Oliver Glasner's side also become the first German side since Schalke in 1996/97 to win the trophy.

  • Frankfurt have now won all three previous European meetings with Rangers after also defeating them back in 1960 in the semi-final of the European Cup (12-4 on aggregate). They've only lost once in seven European meetings with Scottish opposition as well (W5, D1). 

  • Rangers lose their fifth major European final, now winning just once in the process - the 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup 3-2 v Dinamo Moscow.

  • Despite losing out on the night, with his seven strikes Rangers' Tavernier is the first defender since PSV’s Gerrie Deijkers in 1977/78 to win the competition’s golden boot.

Nathan Evans

Nathan Evans Photo

A Sports Journalism Masters graduate, Nathan Evans joined The Sporting News in 2022 after working at Opta/Stats Perform for six years. He's an avid fan of Bradford City, FC Köln and the Pittsburgh Penguins.