UEFA Europa League - Athletic Bilbao VS Glasgow Rangers Prediction
UEFA Europa League - Athletic Bilbao VS Glasgow Rangers
Match Time:18-04-2025 03:00 Friday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Athletic Bilbao - WWDDDW
Athletic Bilbao are hoping to win again following the 3-1 La Liga victory versus Rayo Vallecano.
In that match, Athletic Bilbao had 54% possession and 13 attempts on goal with 4 on target. For Athletic Bilbao, goals were scored by Oihan Sancet (58', 94') and Nico Williams (80'). At the other end, Rayo Vallecano got 11 shots on goal with 3 on target. Pathé Ciss (37') was the scorer for Rayo Vallecano.
Fewer than three goals per game were seen in 5 of the last 6 meetings where Athletic Bilbao have been involved. In terms of the goal attribution during that period, opposing sides scored a total of 2 while Athletic Bilbao totted up 4. However, we must now wait to see whether that pattern shall persist in this next game.
There’s just a single fitness concern for the Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde to contend with from an otherwise complete set of players. Yuri Berchiche (Calf injury) will miss out.
It looks as if Los Leones should employ a 4-2-3-1 system in the match featuring Julen Agirrezabala, Oscar de Marcos, Daniel Vivian, Yeray Alvarez, Inigo Lekue, I. Ruiz de, Mikel Jauregizar, Nico Williams, Oihan Sancet, Alex Berenguer and Maroan Sannadi.
Rangers - LWWLDD
In their last game, Rangers drew 2-2 in the Premiership tie with Aberdeen.
In that game, Rangers had 48% possession and 11 attempts at goal with 4 on target. For Rangers, the scorers were Hamza Igamane (49') and Ianis Hagi (96'). For their opponents, Aberdeen had 17 shots at goal with 5 on target. Leighton Clarkson (31') and Pape Habib Guèye (44') scored for Aberdeen.
The stats don’t lie, and Rangers have been scored against in 5 of their last 6 matches, letting opponents get 11 goals in total. Defensively, Rangers just haven’t been too solid at all.
Out of a mainly full-strength group, there is only the sole fitness issue for the Rangers manager Barry Ferguson to be concerned with. Neraysho Kasanwirjo (Knee injury) won’t be playing here.
From our viewpoint, The Gers will likely play in a 3-4-3 formation, settling for Liam Kelly, James Tavernier, Leon Balogun, John Souttar, Ridvan Yilmaz, Nicolas Raskin, Connor Barron, Jefte, Vaclav Cerny, Cyriel Dessers and Ianis Hagi.
Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Simon; De Marcos, Alvarez, Vivian, Lekue; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; N. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta
Rangers possible starting lineup:
Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun; Yilmaz, Barron, Raskin, Jefte; Diomande, Cerny; Dessers
Athletic Bilbao vs Rangers Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
The two teams have squared off thrice thus far, and they have been evenly matched in these meetings, with a win apiece.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, playing out four draws.
The Gers have won two of their last five games in all competitions, with both wins registered in their travels.
Athletic Bilbao have a 100% home record in the Europa League this season, keeping three clean sheets in five games.
Rangers have lost just one of their 10 away games in 2025, with that loss registered against Manchester United in the Europa League in January.
Notably, Bilbao have kept clean sheets in four of their last five games in all competitions and have failed to score in three games during that period.
Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Rangers (Athletic to win 2-1 on aggregate)
Having already beaten Fenerbahce, Nice and Real Betis away from home in this season's Europa League, Rangers will back themselves to pull off another upset on the road, and will hope to pose a greater threat in the final third with 11 men rather than 10 this time around.
However, Athletic Bilbao have been perfect on home soil in Europe and they will be regarded as favourites to come out on top in the second leg, even if their Scottish counterparts are to put up another fight.
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