Rangers vs Ath Bilbao prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-04-09 19:00.
[p]With their domestic title hopes all but extinguished, Rangers’ focus almost solely rests on the UEFA Europa League as they seek to reach the final four for the first time since losing in the 2021/22 final. Rangers’ journey to this point saw them sneak directly into the round of 16 before overcoming Fenerbahçe on penalties despite losing the home leg by a 2-0 scoreline. [/p]
[p]That was one of Barry Ferguson’s seven games at the Rangers helm to date, none of which saw them keep a clean sheet (W4, L3). Possibly needing a handful of goals to come up trumps here, Ferguson could see his side become the first Scottish team to net 100 combined UEL goals with just one more. Doing so here likely won’t be easy as the Glasgow outfit have failed to win 15 of their last 17 games against Spanish opposition ahead of Athletic Club’s visit (W2, D7, L8). [/p]
[p]Looking good for a top-four La Liga finish, Athletic arrive in Scotland on the hunt for an advantage in their quest for a first semi-final UEL appearance since losing in the 2012 final. Only missing out on topping the league phase by goal difference, Athletic are one of the favourites to go all the way in this competition after overcoming a first-leg deficit to bypass Roma in the round of 16. [/p]
[p]This represents Athletic’s first UEFA-sanctioned match against Scottish opponents, with their only other clash against Rangers being a 4-3 aggregate defeat back in the 1968/69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Fast forward into the 21st century and Athletic are strongly favoured to progress this time around, just as they did in eight of their last 11 UEFA two-legged ties, and scoring first in seven of their last nine UEL matches (W7, L2) gives them a huge platform for success here. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Václav Černý remains in with a shout at the UEL top-scorer accolade (G6), with his last two scoring competition appearances also seeing him net decisively. Just one goal behind him on five is Athletic’s ever-present Iñaki Williams, with each of his four scoring appearances in this competition this season seeing him net the team opener. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Athletic Club have just one clean sheet across their last seven UEL away games (W3, D1, L3). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i][/p]