Borussia Dortmund 2-4 Rangers: Epic fan accounts of famous Euro win

Very few - if any - would’ve predicted where the Ibrox club's Europa League exploits would eventually end.

It’s fair to say most were expecting the two-legged tie with German giants Borussia Dortmund to be the final hurdle.

What would materialise at Signal Iduna Park would render much of the Rangers fanbase speechless as they destroyed Marco Rose’s men in their own backyard.

With the world still in the midst of the Covid pandemic, the iconic 80,000-capacity stadium was reduced to just 10,000, with only 500 tickets being issued to Rangers fans.

It was to be a night long remembered for all those lucky enough to see it unfold in front of their eyes.

We spoke to three travelling fans who bore witness to an astonishing night of Rangers drama.

Jamie Brown – Wirral Rangers Supporters Club

“The flights straight into Dortmund were extortionate. The nearest route was into Dusseldorf so we booked the flights and hotel there and transport to and from the ground.

“We flew in on match day but when we landed there was an earthquake and a high winds warning in Germany. All the train services were off so it was straight into solution mode.

“In the end, we hired a minibus. There were Rangers fans coming out of the airport looking lost because the train station was shut.

“We managed to fill the bus and there are fans that jumped into the back I’m still in really good contact with now.

“We got up to Dusseldorf and threw our bags into our hotel then we gave the lad another 200 Euros to take us up to Dortmund.

“I wasn’t fortunate enough to get an official ticket but managed to get one through a football family if you like.

"A Liverpool fan I worked with was over there a few years ago when Liverpool played and made contact with a guy so he passed me his number. He made a few calls and next thing you know I’d managed to get tickets for myself, my dad and my brother in the home end so we were behind enemy lines.

“We headed up to the ground with the Rangers fans until we got to the gate. I sent my dad in first because I thought if he got pulled we were all getting pulled then my little brother went in and I was at the back. I was thinking it would be typical if it was me who got the KO.

“Luckily it was a German girl who was checking the tickets and she was just happy to help. It was a case of, ‘Have you got your ID? Yes. Have you got your Covid ID? Yes. Have you got your match ticket? Yes.

“They never checked the ID against the ticket, fortunately. It was just your Covid ID against your Covid passport because all eyes were on that at the time and the masks were on. It was a relief to get in there.

READ MORE: Rangers' win over Dortmund causes stir among German media

“The stadium was super impressive. It’s one of those when you go up the stairs and you just go, ‘Wow!’

“The Yellow Wall just seemed to go on forever. It was disappointing it wasn’t the full atmosphere but I think we made one for ourselves based on the performance on the pitch.

“It felt as if this was a Champions League team we were playing and that they should be in the Champions League. Obviously, Haaland was missing. It was one of those where you look forward to seeing him but you’re glad he’s not there. They actually had a boy on the bench that had long blonde hair and I thought, ‘Here we go, he’s going to be on the bench here!’ Fortunately, he never made it.

“When the Rangers team was announced, the only thing that was worrying me was Bassey at centre half. In hindsight, it turned out to be potentially the best move that could’ve happened. That night probably transformed both his life and Rangers financially in terms of having an asset we were able to sell.

“He came of age and everyone to a man played really well. I thought the team had everything we needed. It had a little bit of dig with Scotty Arfield, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Ryan Kent was Ryan Kent on a Thursday night and Alfie was looking sharp as well.

“Sometimes you worry when you go into these games if the players would be a little bit starstruck but we had 11 on the pitch that were up for it and had been around the block in Europe putting in good performances.

“When Tavernier scored we had to be quite discreet because you didn’t want to showboat but you also know they had enough quality that if you made a bit of a fool of yourself they could be quickly laughing back at you.

“When Morelos scored you’re going, ‘Oh, this is interesting,’ and when Lundstram scored that’s when there were smiles all round. There were a few Rangers fans in front of us and they made it clear which team they supported. I jumped up because it was such a good goal.

“The Dortmund fans around us were shellshocked. When they got one back you look at the clock and I was thinking this was going to be a long 35 minutes but it wasn’t much longer before we extended our lead again.

“When the goal was given after a VAR check, Morelos ran from the halfway line and jumped in front of the Rangers fans. At that point you seen a few Dortmund fans get up and walk out.

“What was so encouraging was the performance. We looked as if we deserved to be there. I can’t think of McGregor having too much to do on the night, the back four was absolutely solid and Lundstram, Jack and Arfield put a hell of a shift in. The whole team was probably an eight or a nine out of 10.

“Because you can get a drink during the game it was party mode at full time. Where we were sitting you could see the Rangers fans really going for it, giving it yaldy. Then more fans came out of the woodwork where we were when the final whistle went.

“The flags and everything were out then. The Wirral Loyal flag got a run-out but fair play to the Dortmund fans, there was no animosity whatsoever. There were big handshakes all round and some wanted pictures with the flag.

“After the game, it was straight back to Dusseldorf on the train with our friends from the Glaswegian Loyal. It was a case of getting a cargo for the train journey and a good sing song on the way back.

“It was an early morning flight from memory but it’s one of those mornings where the alarm sounds so different after a European away win.”

Jamie Brown and his brother pose with the Wirral Loyal flag following Rangers' 4-2 win over Borussia Dortmund. (Image: Jamie Brown)

Raghav Sood - Blues Brothers RSC Partick

“A few of my pals and I flew out from Edinburgh straight to Dortmund.

“We all walked up to the stadium together and we were all saying amongst ourselves, ‘We’ll take a defeat as long as we play well. As long as we don’t get pumped then we can take it from there.’

“Dortmund’s stadium was on my bucket list. I had wanted to go there for years. It’s just so unique with the atmosphere. The actual stadium itself, it has that vibe to it with the Yellow Wall.

“At that point, we were dropping points in the league for fun whereas in Europe we were unstoppable.

“When Morelos scored to make it 2-0 I’m like, ‘Oh my god!’

“Because of our league form and the fact Rangers have been known for years of going 2-0 up and not killing teams off, it didn’t really sink in until Lundstram scored that third goal.

READ MORE: Rangers rise to occasion with 'clinical composure' in Dortmund - Data match report

“You got that sense of belief in the stadium. I don’t know if it was more relief or it was shock at the fact we were literally 3-0 up away to Dortmund. As soon as the ball hit the net I’m thinking, ‘Is this actually happening? Is this real?’

“It’s mad when you say it when you’re 3-0 up no matter who you’re against, you automatically think the game is in the bag but even at 3-0 Dortmund missed a few good chances.

“Bellingham was running riot and when they scored I’m thinking, ‘Fuck! If they score another, it’s backs against the wall, proper Walter Smith style.’

“But Jack decided to show up, Kent decided to show up. Joe Aribo, Morelos, Lundstram, they all pulled their socks up.

READ MORE: Watch stunned Dortmund fans stand and clap rampant Rangers sensational third goal 

“No one in a million years would ever have thought we would play like that never mind get a win. It was more shock than anything at full-time because you just couldn’t believe what we had actually seen for that 90 minutes.

“But if you were there and seen the way Rangers played that night, we fully deserved that win. If you had told me that before the game, I’d have laughed.

“When the full-time whistle went and the players came to clap the fans we were in shock - but in a good way.

“The Dortmund fans were very welcoming and friendly. They would mix and mingle and have a pint with us. There were also a lot of Rangers fans in the home end and during half time some of the Rangers fans would walk up to the away end and just say to the German security, ‘Look, we’re Rangers fans can you just let us into the away end?’ If that was in Scotland you’d get chucked out of the stadium.

“I’ve seen Rangers win at Parkhead which is class but in Europe it’s just different. That win over Dortmund is definitely in the top three just because of the sheer surprise and because it was against one of the best teams in Europe.”

Mark - Toryglen True Blues

“We flew from Glasgow on a day trip. It didn't got announced until quite close to the fixture that Rangers were actually going to take the tickets.

“You got the sense they didn’t want to take tickets with people booking travel then grounds getting shut. Certain countries were saying they weren’t accepting anybody in because of Covid. You had to be quite high up in MyGers in terms of points in Gold to get a ticket.

“But I always think there are Rangers fans that will travel to the end of the Earth without a ticket, they don’t even care. They’re just happy to be there.

“You get up at four in the morning to get to the airport. By the time you land in Germany, you’re then onto a bus or a train that takes you into the city centre. You’re lucky if you get two or three hours and then you get to the game and you’re on the bus and then straight to the airport and you head back home.

“We went over thinking we would just enjoy the occasion rather than thinking we’re going to go there and turn this mob over. Obviously, the rest is history because it was quite an incredible 90 minutes.

“The game itself was 100 per cent surreal. At half-time, I phoned my dad back home as I normally do and said, ‘I can’t actually believe what I’m seeing.’

“You were just thinking, probably at worst we’ll get a draw to take them back to Ibrox and that we were actually going to be in the tie.

“When Lundstram scored the third goal I don’t even think I celebrated, I just had my hands on my head and was like, ‘What’s actually happening here? This can’t be real life.’ The Dortmund fans were just as stunned as us.

“It was genuinely the stuff of dreams. You dream of that type of nonsense because it’s never going to happen and probably won’t happen again. Since Lyon when we beat them 3-0, I don’t think we’ve had such a massive scalp in Europe.

READ MORE: Detailed Rangers player ratings as Tavernier, Morelos and Lundstram down shell-shocked Dortmund

“We were buzzing on the bus back to the airport but I remember when we were talking about the game if it was 4-1 I’d be confident that they weren’t going to beat us 3-0 at Ibrox but that late goal was almost like a, ‘Can they come and beat us 2-0? Definitely.’

“Following Rangers you’ve always got that scenario in the back of your mind at all times that the unthinkable might happen.

“I thought at 4-1 we’d have been basically through, 4-2 I was thinking they have such a good team, did we catch them on an off night and we played to an outstanding level? Are we going to have an off night and will they do the same to us?

“I was in Lyon but that felt like a smash and grab. That felt like we sat in and had three chances and scored three goals but against Dortmund it felt like we actually went with a game plan to have a go at them and try and get a result rather than sitting in and hoping.

“We were good value for the win. It wasn’t like it was three jammy goals. It was unbelievable.”