Rangers vs Athletic Bilbao Preview & Prediction

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Barry Ferguson and his Rangers side are coasting towards the end of the Scottish Premiership season but they are focused on another European run as they take on Athletic Club at Ibrox.

Kick-off date/time: Thursday 10th April, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 1:45pm / US PT – 10:45am

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – CBS Sports

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Key Stats

• This is the first UEFA competition match between these teams. Note: They did meet in the quarter-finals of the Fairs Cup 1968/69 on that occasion Rangers won 4-3 on aggregate (4-1h, 0-2 a).
• Rangers ended a 15-match winless run against Spanish teams when they did the double over Real Betis in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League group stage (1-0 h, 3-2 a)  – their most recent such fixtures.
• Rangers have lost their last four UEFA two-legged ties against Spanish teams, the most recent was a 1-2 aggregate defeat against Osasuna in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup round of 16 (1-1 h, 0-1 a). Their last UEFA two-legged tie success against a Spanish opponent was against Real Zaragoza in the 1966/67 Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals when the tie was decided by a coin toss after a 2-2 draw on aggregate (2-0 h, 0-2 a).
• Rangers have lost only one of their last seven UEFA competition matches at home against Spanish teams (W1 D5).
• Rangers are in their third UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League quarter-final. They won the previous two: 2-0 agg vs Sporting CP, 2007/08 UEFA Cup (0-0 h, 2-0 a) and 3-2 agg vs Braga, 2021/22 UEFA Europa League (0-1 a, 3-1 h aet). They went on to reach the final on both occasions.
• Rangers have progressed from six of their ten UEFA competition quarter-final ties.
• Rangers have won five of their last six UEFA Europa League two-legged ties.
• Including qualifying, Rangers have won 16 of their last 19 UEFA Europa League two-legged ties.
• Rangers have not lost the first leg in their last six UEFA competition two-legged ties (W2 D4).
• Rangers have scored 99 goals in the UEFA Europa League (GS/LP to F). They could become the first Scottish club to reach the landmark of 100.
• This is Athletic’s first UEFA competition match against a Scottish team.
• Athletic Club are through to their fourth UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League quarter-final. The most recent was in 2015/16 when they were defeated on penalties by Sevilla after a 3-3 draw on aggregate (1-2 h, 2-1 a). They won the previous two, firstly against Barcelona in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup (4-3 agg, 2-1 h, 2-2 a) and then against Schalke in the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League (6-4 agg, 4-2 a, 2-2 h).
• Athletic Club have won seven of their last nine UEFA Europa League matches (L2).
• Athletic Club have won eight of their last 11 UEFA competition two-legged ties.
• Athletic Club have scored the first goal in seven of their last nine UEFA Europa League matches.
• Athletic Club have not failed to score in their last 18 UEFA Europa League matches.
• Athletic Club have scored the first goal in seven of their last nine UEFA Europa League matches.

Rangers vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction

Barry Ferguson took interim charge of Rangers before their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie against Fenerbahce last month and the Bears managed to pull off an impressive first-leg win in Istanbul before then defeating Fener on penalties at Ibrox. The 2022 UEFA Europa League runners’ up are now 13 points adrift of league leaders Celtic with six games to go domestically.

They now face an Athletic Club side that play a very entertaining style of football with a deep and impressive Athletic squad that consists of the likes of Oihan Sancet, Inaki Williams and Nico Williams. They are tucked inside the top four of La Liga after sharing a goalless draw with Villarreal at El Madrigal at the weekend.

Rangers have pulled off some impressive and surprising results throughout their European campaign this season but Athletic are a slick and stylish step up to what they have faced thus far.

Rangers vs Athletic Bilbao Tip: Athletic Club to win