Arsenal icon Lehmann admits he knows Balogun but explains why he's backing Frankfurt to beat Rangers

Arsenal Invincible Jens Lehmann has admitted that he knows Rangers' German-born Nigeria international Leon Balogun but looking at the bigger picture, he is rooting for Eintracht Frankfurt to beat their Scottish opponents in Wednesday's Europa League showpiece in Seville.

Balogun played for six different German clubs in his senior career, including Eintracht Frankfurt's bitter rivals Darmstadt 98, scoring four goals in 21 outings for The Lilies.

Lehmann underlined that Frankfurt would be desperate to win the Europa League as it's their only chance of playing European football next season.

In addition, a Frankfurt win would see Germany have five teams in next season's Champions League, with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig already guaranteed spots.

"I know Rangers' German-born defender Leon Balogun who previously played in the Bundesliga," Lehmann told allnigeriasoccer.com.

"As Germans we hope that Frankfurt will win because we have Champions League ambitions, we will have five teams in the Champions League.

"It will be a massive game for Frankfurt because they only finished eleventh in the Bundesliga so this is the game they have to perform."

Balogun has not started a Europa League game for Rangers since a 1-0 loss to Sporting Braga in the quarterfinals of the competition.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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