Sturgeon sends best wishes to Rangers ahead of Europa League final clash

Scotland’s First Minister has sent her best wishes to Rangers as the club prepare for the Europa League final in Seville.

Nicola Sturgeon tweeted a good luck message to the Glasgow team as they prepared to take on German side Eintracht Frankfurt.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross also tweeted to wish Rangers “the very best of luck” for the match.

Wishing @RangersFC the very best of luck in Seville tonight! #EuropaLeagueFinal

The good luck messages came after Ibrox great Mark Hateley said that the current squad will become heroes if they lift the Europa League trophy in Seville.

The former England and Rangers striker said Wednesday night’s match is “massive” for the club.

With less cash in Scottish football than in some other European leagues, he said getting to the final is “up there with some of the greatest achievements of Scottish clubs”.

Hateley told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “In the modern game of football where cash is king and there’s not a lot of that around in Scottish football, to be able to emulate the top echelons of European football clubs, it’s remarkable, it is up there.

“Rangers have been one of the best teams in this competition, from a really slow start it must be said, but they’ve got better, grown into it.

“I think Gio (manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst) coming in has helped the football club and the team well.

“He’s taken that forward and that belief forward and turned us into finalists, and he’s done it in some style.”

The Europa League final comes just over a decade after Rangers entered administration, resulting in the club dropping down to the third division in Scottish football.

Hateley said: “It’s a great period for the football club at the moment, they have