Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst will make at least two changes to his team for this afternoon's Scottish Cup final against Hearts at Hampden.
Van Bronckhorst may make more changes, however, given the nature of Wednesday match. The Ibrox outfit arrived back in Glasgow on Thursday afternoon from Seville following their devastating penalty-shoot out defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt in Wednesday’s Europa League final. There is sure to be mental and physical fatigue for the 120 minutes played at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, with one player definitely ruled out of the match against the Jambos.
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“We have to make sure they know what they’re doing, we’ll decide on the team, the tactics and how we’re going to do that. “But there have been very few that have actually gone on and taken that final step and won the cup. “There have been numerous Hearts teams over the years that have had good seasons, finished with European football and got to cup finals.
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It’s been a while since we won the cup and that’s our drive.” Van Bronckhorst said: “It was a very proud moment for me to see my side play like that. But we then made the change and we dominated after that.” Neilson said: “It has been a good season. I was always going to be a little bit rusty but I’m glad I got 60 minutes in the legs again. There was an immediate consolation when the midfielder’s replacement, 18-year-old Alex Lowry, scored a debut goal.
Will Rangers overcome the disappointment of their defeat in the Europa League final to win the Scottish Cup? Find out with Rob Smyth.
But at least Rangers won’t have the second leg of the Europa League final to play in midweek, eh? We’re about to find out what that gruelling match and the despair of defeat have done to both their legs and their minds. Today would be the perfect time to start punching upwards. The recovery of both clubs has been pretty admirable. It’s time for the Scottish Cup final of 2022. 15 min A long, crossfield pass is controlled magnificently in mid-air by Diallo. He gets away from Cochrane and slides a low cross that is booted away in the six-yard box. 22 min McKay lobs a dangerous ball towards Boyce on the edge of the area. Hearts have won this competition more recently than Rangers. They smashed Hibs 5-1 in the final in 2012, three years after Rangers beat Falkirk 1-0. Diallo’s ball in is cleared by Souttar, who will be joining Rangers in the summer. A great chance for Hearts. Atkinson played a clever through pass to Boyce, whose mistimed shot almost turned into a perfect cross for Simms. He slid desperately towards the ball but could only poke it off the outside of the post from close range. Diallo teases a low cross into Davis in the area. It wasn’t the easiest ball to take though.
Robbie Neilson has had to nurture a few players back from injury but is almost at full strength for season finale.
John Souttar and Craig Halkett are set to start in the centre of defence. Whether Robbie Neilson deploys a back four or back three with wing backs remains to be seen, but the Hearts boss has preferred the former during the latter half of the season. Liam Boyce has been monitored this week after coming off early during the final day meeting with the Gers, but should be fit enough to at least be included in the squad after feeling a twinge in his groin.
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