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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Gavin Berry

Ryan Kent reveals bonkers Rangers ticket scramble and the family members he didn't know existed

Ryan Kent joked he’s had extended family members coming out of the woodwork to ask him for gold-dust Europa League Final tickets.

And the Rangers star insists the squad is bursting with confidence that they can win the trophy to complete an incredible four-year journey.

Kent arrived in Steven Gerrard’s first season in charge and helped the Light Blues reach the group stage of UEFA’s second tier competition with a gritty draw against Ufa in Russia.

Rangers failed to get out of the group stage on that occasion have improved each year and are now set to take on Eintracht Frankfurt in next week’s final in Seville.

The 25-year-old admitted it’s been an incredible four-year journey with the likes of captain James Tavernier, Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson, Scott Arfield and Alfredo Morelos, albeit the Colombian is injured, all still at the club.

Kent said: "This team has been on a journey for four years now since we beat UFA to get into the competition.

“That journey has been a beautiful struggle. Each year we have wanted to progress further than the previous year and we’ve managed to do that here and get into the final.

“It’s an opportunity I’ll be relishing and without a doubt it’s the biggest game in all of our careers.

“I don’t sleep that great anyway but I’m excited for this game! I’ve got family I didn’t even know I had asking for tickets.

“We’ve got quite a few tickets but it’s great for everyone and for their families to be involved.

“It’s incredible for everyone associated with the football club. On a personal level, it’s something I’ve always strived for in my career - to try and get to the top in football.

Ryan Kent (Jan Kruger - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

“I don’t think we’ll let the occasion get the better of us. We know what’s still ahead of us but without a doubt it’s the biggest game.

“We’ll go into the game with the same mindset that we’ve had throughout the competition.

“We’ve come up against some top class opposition and nothing changes going into the final.

“We’re confident (we can win it). We’ve been confident throughout the whole tournament.

“When you’ve defeated great teams then, without being naive, we’re going in there to win but we won’t get ahead of ourselves.”

After scoring in Braga two years ago to send Rangers into the last-16 of the Europa League, Kent was criticised in some quarters for saying they performed better in Europe.

It was interpreted as Gerrard’s men not being able to handle the pressure domestically where they couldn’t get over the line.

Kent said: “In previous years there has been less expectation in the European games - I don’t think anyone expected Rangers to be reaching a final - so it’s a platform we can really showcase ourselves nuder less pressure.

“But that changes now going into a final because everyone is expecting us to win - including ourselves.

“After Dortmund I think the players came away thinking we really take this really seriously as we’d just beaten a great team and that gives you the confidence to at least think you can go all the way.”

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