West Ham would’ve ‘battered’ Rangers in the Europa League final at the end of last season says former Premier League star Ben Foster.
For many fans it was the Europa League final that should have been but never was back in May last year.
West Ham and Rangers had looked destined to meet in a Battle of Britain finale to the competition at the end of last season.
But while the Gers did their bit, David Moyes’ side were beaten in controversial circumstances by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt – who saw off Rangers in the final on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Hammers boss Moyes and West Ham stars such as Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice admitted they were desperate to set up what would have been an unforgettable final against Rangers as West Ham saw off reigning champions Sevilla and Lyon on their way to the semi-final with Frankfurt.
But fate – and hapless referee Jesus Gil Manzano – had other ideas.
It would have been only the second time in history that West Ham and Rangers had met in a competitive match after the Hammers played the Gers in the 1979 Tennent Caledonian Cup semi-final, a game won by Rangers 3-2 at Ibrox.
West Ham would’ve ‘battered’ Rangers in Europa League final says former Premier League star Ben Foster
But it would have been a very different outcome had West Ham made it to the final in Seville according to one former player.
West Ham would’ve ‘battered’ Rangers in Europa League final says former Premier League star Ben Foster.
Speaking to recently retired West Ham captain turned sporting director Mark Noble on the Fozcast, Foster made the bold claim.
“It was an incredible run wasn’t it,” Foster’s Fozcast co-host says to Noble of West Ham’s Europa League adventure before Foster interjected.
“If only you could have got past Frankfurt, you’d have battered Rangers in the final,” Foster said.
Foster’s comments might not go down well with Rangers fans, who will no doubt point to their 3-1 win over West Ham in pre-season as evidence to the contrary.
But that was a completely different side with different energy and was – at the end of the day – a friendly.
Many West Ham fans share Foster’s view. It was felt ahead of the semi-final that if West Ham could make it to Seville, Rangers’ attacking style would perfectly suit their own counter-attacking game.
One thing that is for sure, it would have been a brilliant game in a phenomenal atmosphere.
But sadly, we will never know whether Foster is right.
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