Athletic Bilbao vs Rangers Predictions

• Both teams have scored in Athletic Bilbao’s last two home Europa League matches
• Both teams have scored in Rangers’ last four away trips in Europe
• Nico Williams has scored five goals in his last nine appearances for club and country

Basques have a taste for cup glory

Athletic Bilbao are favoured to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Europa League when they host Rangers in the second leg of their last-eight clash with the aggregate score level at 0-0.

Ernesto Valverde’s side are determined to go all the way in this competition because, for one, their San Mames home will host the final. But the Basque side are also desperate to recreate the memorable scenes that followed their Copa del Rey success last season.

That was the team’s first major silverware in 40 years and the squad have a taste for more, plus the experience of how to handle cut-throat clashes like the one served up by last Thursday’s goalless first leg.

Rangers have capacity to score in Bilbao

Some might see the 0-0 Ibrox draw as an opportunity missed for the La Liga side, who dominated after Robin Propper’s early red card, seeing a goal disallowed and a penalty saved by Rangers hero Liam Kelly. The young goalkeeper will need to be at the top of his game again on Thursday as Athletic Club will be roared on by 50,000 fans expecting a similar performance to the one that overturned Roma’s first-leg lead in the round of 16.

Valverde’s side have some dangerous forward players and will look to score multiple goals in order to put this tie to bed. But Rangers’ capacity for an away goal can’t be ruled out.

The Light Blues have scored in every one of their away Europa League games this term, including four at Nice and three at Fenerbahce. They have lost only one of those trips too when an injury and suspension-hit side were seconds away from earning a deserved 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Both teams to score looks a favourable option given Athletic Club have conceded in their last two home European clashes and were forced to come from behind to beat Rayo Vallecano at the weekend.