Rangers were unable to lift their first European trophy in 50 years after they were beaten 5-4 on penalties by Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes.
Joe Aribo put the Gers in front just before the hour mark, but their lead lasted only 12 minutes as Rafael Borre tapped in from close range to draw the Germans level.
The contest was eventually settled on penalties with Aaron Ramsey missing from 12 yards before Borre netted the winning spot kick to condemn the Scots to a heartbreaking defeat in Seville.
Nevertheless, Giovanni van Bronckhorstand co can be immensely proud of their impressive journey to the final, and they still have a chance of finishing the season with silverware as they head to Hampden as favourites to win the Scottish Cup.
Rangers have won the Scottish Cup 33 times in their 150-year history, but the last time that they had they hands on the trophy was back in 2008-09 when they beat Falkirk 1-0 in the final.
The Glaswegian giants beat Stirling Albion, Annan Athletic and Dundee in the first three rounds of this year’s competition, before winning 2-1 after extra time against Old Firm rivals Celtic in the semi-finals, to book their place in the final for the first time in seven years.
Rangers lost 3-2 to Hibernian the last time that they reached the final in 2015-16, but they will be confident of success against fellow Edinburgh outfit Hearts, as they have won each of their last three meetings against them, scoring 10 goals in the process.
is fair to say that the Jam Tarts comfortably consolidated their top-three position, as they finished 13 points clear of Dundee United in fourth but 17 points behind Rangers in second.
Hearts head into Saturday’s Scottish Cup final off the back of three successive league defeats, conceding a total of nine goals in losses against Celtic, Motherwell and Rangers.
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Neilsen’s side will be aware of the threat that they are likely to face from a fired-up Rangers outfit this weekend, but they can take confidence from their last Scottish Cup encounter with the Gers, which saw the Jam Tarts win 1-0 in the quarter-finals in February 2020.
Hearts have reached the final twice in the last three years but lost on both occasions, suffering a 2-1 defeat against Celtic in 2019 before losing against the Hoops again a year later, this time on penalties after a 3-3 draw in 120 minutes.
The Edinburgh-based outfit – who have beaten Auchinleck Talbot, Livingston, St Mirren and rivals Hibs to reach this year’s final – have won the Scottish Cup as many times as they have lost in the final (eight) but one has got to give on Saturday, and victory would see them lift the trophy for the first time in a decade.
