This is now the second tie in a row that Bilbao's opponents were reduced to ten men at the start of the game, as Roma's Mats Hummels was shown red for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the 11th minute of their second-leg in the Round of 16. Nico Williams put two past the Italians following this red card, but will have to do it without his brother Iñaki as he was taken off with a hamstring injury in the comeback victory over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday night.
Barry Ferguson looked to limit the risks to his squad by heavily rotating his side for the trip to Aberdeen, and Rangers extended their woeful run of conceding at least twice to 7 domestic matches. Rangers eventually came back to earn a 2-2 draw, and Ferguson will be hoping Rangers are storing up all their defensive heroics for their European matches.
Team News
Iñaki Williams' withdrawal on Sunday night with a hamstring strain will be a huge blow for Ernesto Valverde's plans if he is confirmed to be out. Oihan Sancet missed training on Monday as he recovers from injury, but bagged twice after coming on at half-time against Vallecano. Yuri Berchiche is still recovering from a muscle injury.
Robin Propper will be suspended following his first-leg red card, but Rangers welcome back key men in John Souttar and Mohamed Diomande from suspension. Bailey Rice and Dujon Sterling will be out with the injuries sustained in the first-leg, while Rangers are hopeful of having Ridvan Yilmaz and Tom Lawrence recovered from small knocks.
Stats Watch
- Bilbao are the only side in the Europa League with a 100% win rate at home. Should they win their 6th home match against Rangers, they will have set a new club record for home wins in a European season.
- Bilbao have never gone through in Europe after drawing their first leg. All five of these occasions have resulted in the Spaniards being eliminated in the second leg.
- Rangers have only lost one of their last 8 away days in the Europa League. They won on their last visit to Spain, beating Real Betis 3-2 in 2023. Lyon's 13 away goals is the only away tally better than Rangers' 11 in this campaign.
- Cyriel Dessers' xG of 5.5 is the highest expected goals tally of any player remaining in the tournament, but the mercurial forward has only bagged 3 goals from these chances. Iñaki Williams' 3.3 xG is Bilbao's highest tally, highlighting just how much of a miss he will be.
With the tie finely poised at 0-0, Athletic Bilbao will look to capitalise on their formidable home form at San Mamés, where they have won all five Europa League matches this season. However, the potential absence of Iñaki Williams due to a hamstring strain could hamper their attacking threat. Rangers, buoyed by the return of key players from suspension, have shown resilience on the road in Europe, and won on their last visit to Spain against Betis. The Gers will aim to exploit any defensive lapses, especially given Bilbao's recent tendency to concede at home. With both teams eyeing a semi-final berth and Bilbao under pressure to reach the final in their home city, Thursday's encounter promises to be another nerve-wracking affair for both sets of fans.