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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Robbie Copeland

What the Rangers pundits said as Kris Boyd and Ally McCoist in giddy reaction to Europa League Final glory

The reaction to Rangers ' momentous Europa League victory continues to pour in and the pundits have had plenty to say.

John Lundstram's strike will go down in history and it puts Gio van Bronckhorst 's team 90 minutes away from glory in Seville.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, they had to battle for it and it wouldn't have been a Euro night at Ibrox without twists and turns.

Rangers were in dreamland when James Tavernier and Glen Kamara turned the tie on its head within half an hour but Christopher Nkunku threatened to derail it with a wonderful volley to level it up on aggregate.

But Lundstram had the last say as he struck late on and it's Rangers who will face Eintracht Frankfurt later this month.

It was a tie that left Van Bronckhorst with no few bumps and bruises as Joe Aribo and Ryan Jack were lost to injury.

But they won't be sweating that for now as they drink it all in.

Here's what the Rangers pundits had to say after the game.

Ally McCoist

"I can't tell you how proud I am of those players, the fans, everything about tonight.

"I've been fortunate enough to come to this place and I've seen victories over Bayern Munich, Dinamo Kyiv, over Leeds United where the atmosphere has been the best.

"That tonight will take some beating. That performance, Lundstram, dear me, Bassey, to a man, every one of them should be so proud of themselves.

"Nine years ago we're playing East Stirling in the Third Division. Now we're in a European final."

"I might as well tell you I wasn't too pleased with some of the referee's decisions.

"Gio got it tactically spot on. A couple of things went against him, Aribo and Jack going off, no Ramsey, no Roofe.

"Walter and Jimmy up there, they'll be having a wee dram and a cuddle. Absolutely magic.

"I'm in shock. I was hopeful, but this was a good team we're playing. I can't believe it.

"I never thought I'd see it again. Scottish fans might think I'm being hypocritical but finance is everything in football.

"You go out and spend money on the best players. Rangers can do it domestically, but to go out and compete at this stage. Leipzig have beaten Man City this year and scored three goals at the Etihad.

"I'm absolutely buzzing. Look at the supporters, everything. Dear me.

"It's as good an atmosphere as anything I've heard in world football. The fans were the 12th, 13th and 14th man.

"I think we'll get away from here at about three in the morning. And who cares?"

Kenny Miller

"Absolutely sensational that performance. They're playing a very, very good team, they've gone toe-to-toe from the first whistle, and they've come out on top.

"Against Dortmund, against Red Star, against Braga, they've been absolutely phenomenal in this journey.

"It was always going to be emotional, coming to a night like this. Walter and the spirit of wee Jimmy, it'll mean so much to everyone involved with this football club tonight.

"Leipzig are a top team. This Rangers team have showed spirit and quality over this journey and you don't get to these stages if you don't deserve it. They deserve it."

Kris Boyd

"The real togetherness of this team is something you can't buy. And it's going to get stronger now.

"It looks as if Celtic are going to win the league title but if Rangers can win the Scottish Cup and go to the Europa League final, it's like the team in 2008.

"The never say die attitude, the manager plays a massive part in that. Trusting him, trusting your players, that's how you get results.

"They were unbelievable. They deserved it. This isn't a fluke. They've toppled Champions League teams.

"It's an unbelievable result and not only for Rangers. The finances aren't there in Scottish football to compete at this level, but Rangers with that togetherness and team spirit have shown you can go far in Europe and that's exactly what's happened tonight."

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