The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in Seville, Spain, was awash in color and trembling with noise on Wednesday night as two of the world's most passionate fanbases delighted in a rare opportunity at continental glory in the Europa League final.
Despite the stadium's capacity of 42,700, police expected up to 100,000 traveling Rangers supporters and more than 50,000 from Eintracht Frankfurt. The away support of the Glasgow club is legendary — they sent a record 200,000 traveling fans to Manchester for the 2008 Europa League final — but this year's competition has also alerted the world to Eintracht's fanatical following.
Barcelona learned it the hard way when 30,000 Eintracht fans poured into Camp Nou on April 14 to turn the team's quarterfinal second leg into another home match. Eintracht stormed to a 3-0 lead in that one with Barça's players shell-shocked by it all.
On Wednesday, Eintracht's ultras took it to another level by preparing a tifo that reportedly cost them over $50,000 and required seven trucks to transport from Frankfurt to Seville.
The final result was worth it.
Wow @eintracht_eng pic.twitter.com/XiPGRwzxFH
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) May 18, 2022
On the field & in the stands as one. #SGERFC pic.twitter.com/g8yQ5dpFFZ
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@eintracht_us) May 18, 2022
Frankfurt fans with the tifo. #UEL | #UELfinal pic.twitter.com/GWXmQXSYnB
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) May 18, 2022
Eintracht fans are a rowdy bunch.
Can't get enough of this #SGEuropa #SEVILLJAAAAA #SGERFC pic.twitter.com/BSdDR3RkUE
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@eintracht_eng) May 18, 2022
Look at the watch party back at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt.
FFM hat Bock! Unglaublich! @DeuBaPark #Sevilljaaaaa #SGEuropa pic.twitter.com/13BHctKS7v
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht) May 18, 2022