Bilbao Expose Rangers' Defensive Woes in Europa League Exit
All eyes were on Rangers as they stepped onto the field, desperate to defend against a relentless Athletic Bilbao side in the Europa League quarter-finals. The Scottish team, well aware of their leaky recent form, tried to clamp down with a back three and wing-backs. But tactical tweaks did little to hide their defensive cracks.
The match's tone was set early. Rangers felt hard done by when Cyriel Dessers’ shirt was visibly ripped in the box by Yeray Alvarez, but the ref coolly waved play on. The denied penalty claim rattled the Scottish side and seemed to sap their focus at crucial moments.
Bilbao pounced on every Rangers mistake. John Souttar tripped Maroan Sannadi as halftime loomed, a costly lapse that handed Bilbao a penalty. Oihan Sancet kept his nerve, sliding his finish past Liam Kelly to put the hosts ahead. It wasn’t just a blow to the scoreline—it shattered the fragile confidence of Barry Ferguson’s men.
Things went from bad to worse as Rangers shuffled their formation again due to a flood of injuries. Ridvan Yilmaz, Ianis Hagi, and Leon Balogun all limped off, forcing the manager to ditch the back three and switch to a back four. The makeshift lineup struggled to adjust, with communication breaking down just when they needed stability most.
Despite a spirited attempt—Nico Raskin gave the away fans a spark of hope when he struck the post—Rangers couldn’t convert pressure to goals. And then, the hammer blow: Oscar De Marcos skipped down the right and floated a pinpoint cross to Nico Williams, who snuck in behind James Tavernier and nodded home at the back post. It was a simple finish, but it summed up the night—Bilbao sharp and opportunistic, Rangers a beat behind.
Bilbao weren’t just clinical in attack; they smothered Rangers across the park. The numbers back it up—56% possession and 22 shots for the Spanish side, compared to just 7 efforts from the visitors. Even with a late push, Rangers looked toothless in front of goal, and each defensive slip nearly cost them more. Injuries aside, conceding first in seven of their last ten games has become a tough stat for Ferguson to explain.
Bilbao March On as Rangers Reflect on Defensive Mishaps
By the final whistle, Oscar De Marcos had more reason to celebrate than anyone. Not only did he set the tone with tireless running on the right, but he also broke Bilbao's record for European appearances, earning Man of the Match. For Rangers, those defensive lapses and missed chances ended any hope of a European run this year.
- Possession: Athletic Bilbao 56% - Rangers 44%
- Shots: Athletic Bilbao 22 - Rangers 7
- Shots on Target: Athletic Bilbao 4 - Rangers 2
- Corners: Athletic Bilbao 6 - Rangers 3
Bilbao now look forward to taking on Manchester United in the semi-finals while Rangers are left picking up the pieces of another European campaign undone by defensive errors. The big question for Ferguson and his players—can they stop the rot next season, or will these mistakes haunt them again?
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