Rangers’ commendable Europa League journey ended at the quarter-final stage following a 2-0 defeat by Athletic Bilbao in the San Mames stadium.
Barry Ferguson’s side had battled hard last week to keep the first leg goalless after the early dismissal of defender Robin Propper and were stretched again in the first half before defender John Souttar conceded a penalty in added time which Oihan Sancet converted.
It was a devastating blow for the Ibrox side who lost defender Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun to injury during the game but they came into the match more after the break and midfielder Nicolas Raskin hit the post but a header from Spain winger Nico Williams with 10 minutes remaining sealed the Gers’ fate in a 2-0 aggregate defeat.
Full-Time: Athletic Club 2-0 Rangers (agg 2-0) | #UEL
Our @EuropaLeague campaign comes to an end in Bilbao. pic.twitter.com/NDlwwHtnLV
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) April 17, 2025
The need for a solid start for Rangers, was obvious.
The Light Blues had conceded the first two goals in seven of their last 10 games – six in nine under Ferguson who was installed as boss until the end of the season when Philippe Clement departed in February
After a bright opening few minutes Athletic flexed.
Yilmaz, playing right wing-back, had to block a close-range shot from midfielder Sancet in the eighth minute before keeper Liam Kelly made a great save from Williams with another Sancet shot blocked, this time by skipper James Tavernier.
Injured Yilmaz then had to be replaced by midfielder Connor Barron and Ferguson reshuffled, Tavernier going to wing-back and Jefte moving into the back three with Mohamed Diomande at left wing-back.
It was all about defending for Rangers and it was desperate at times, with Balogun booked by referee Irfan Peljto for a foul on striker Maroan Sannadi, the official earlier ignoring Gers striker Cyriel Dessers’ claim for a penalty when Yeray Alvarez pulled at his shirt.
In the 36th minute Athletic attacker Alex Berenguer came close with a curling shot from 20 yards before Williams missed a sitter from eight yards after a cut-back from Sannadi.
Sancet then lofted a shot high over the bar with only Kelly to beat, and the Govan side escaped again – only for Souttar to concede penalty for a challenge on Sannadi and Sancet sent Kelly the wrong way.
Centre-back Clinton Nsiala replaced Ianis Hagi and Jefte moved back to left wing-back with Diomande returning to midfield and within seconds of the restart Balogun went down inside the Rangers box after clashing heads with Souttar and had to be replaced by striker Hamza Igamane.
The visitors went to a back four, adding to the sense of disruption.
However, after 58 minutes Raskin struck the post from around eight yards as the home defence was breached and the game became stretched.
The tension increased as the second half continued and a delicious chip from Ibrox winger Vaclav Cerny almost found Dessers at the back post, while at the other end, Berenguer’s shot was deflected for a corner which was defended with determination.
However, moments later Williams got in behind Tavernier and headed an inviting cross from Oscar de Marcos high past Kelly to send Rangers out of the competition.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke described his team’s 1-0 victory at Gary Rowett’s Oxford as “the best type of win”.Manor Solomon’s 33rd-minute goal from a superb attacking move was enough to take Leeds back to the top of the Championship with three games to go.Farke said: “It was a massive win for us at this stage of the season against a team fighting against relegation...
Manor Solomon’s first-half goal fired Leeds back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 win at Oxford.The Israel international arrived at the far post in the 33rd minute to smash Jayden Bogle’s right-wing cross high into the net from five yards at the end of a fast attacking move.It meant Daniel Farke’s men returned to the summit after Burnley’s 2-1 comeback vict...
Stephen Kelly struck two first-half goals as second-placed Livingston swept aside fellow Scottish Championship high-fliers Ayr 5-0.Kelly grabbed an early opener when he slotted home from the edge of the penalty area after six minutes and Robbie Muirhead made it two from the penalty spot after a foul on Cristian Montano.Ayr capitulated again moments before the interval, Kelly latching on to a long ...
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder said it had been an emotionally draining week after his side beat Cardiff 2-0 at Bramall Lane to end a run of three straight defeats.Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz kept the Blades in the hunt for automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, while the Bluebirds remain in deep relegation trouble.Wilder said: “It was a nervy start for us ...
Alan Sheehan’s audition for the vacant managerial job at Swansea received further approval as he steered his side to a fourth successive victory with a 1-0 win over Hull.A controversial second-half penalty from Slovenianstriker Zan Vipotnik sealed the deal for the home side as they also notched a fourth successive clean sheet – the first time since 2008 they have won four in a row with...
Burnley boss Scott Parker praised his side’s defiance and cool heads as they moved to within one victory of an immediate return to the Premier League with a raucous 2-1 win over nine-man Watford at Vicarage Road.Within an extraordinary 11 minutes midway through the second half, Josh Brownhill scored what proved to be the winning goal before Watford pair Moussa Sissoko and Edo Kayembe were bo...
Sheffield United kept up the pressure on Burnley and Leeds as they beat Cardiff 2-0 at Bramall Lane on Good Friday.Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz kept the Blades in the hunt for automatic promotion from the Sky Bet Championship, while the Bluebirds remain in deep relegation trouble.The visitors had their first sight of goal when captain Callum O’Dowda’s cross was met by...
Barnet’s wobble in pursuit of the National League title continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Eastleigh.After nine victories in a row up to the end of March, Dean Brennan’s side are now winless in their last three games and had to come from behind to take a point from the visitors.Eastleigh took a 36th-minute lead through Paul McCallum after a poor back pass left the Bee...
Walsall boss Mat Sadler insists his stuttering Saddlers will not let heads drop despite slipping out of League Two’s top three for the first time in five months after a 2-2 draw with Harrogate.Liam Gordon’s 88th-minute equaliser rescued Walsall a point but they have gone 11 games without a win to drop from first to fourth.Just three points separate the top four, though, and Sadler rema...
Valerien Ismael described Blackburn’s 4-1 hammering of Millwall as the best his side has played since his arrival as head coach.Rovers maintained their slim play-off hopes by putting their in-form visitors to the sword.Dominic Hyam’s 42nd-minute header put Rovers ahead – the first of three goals in five minutes – as Mihailo Ivanovic equalised before Sondre Tronstad register...
- 1 Chelsea to scout 24-year-old star today
- 2 Mark Robins wants win at Cardiff to galvanise Stoke for Championship run-in
- 3 PL side eyeing summer move for Rashford
- 4 Pop icon with £580M net worth makes appearance at Stamford Bridge
- 5 David Gray hails ‘incredible achievement’ as Hibernian match club record run
- 6 Enzo Maresca: It’s up to Chelsea fans to decide if they want to back team
- 7 Late Ianis Hagi equaliser for Rangers denies Celtic early title party
- 8 Vitor Pereira reveals lofty ambitions for Wolves after victory over Tottenham
- 9 Arteta makes exciting Arsenal transfer claim
- 10 Gareth Ainsworth targeting success at Gillingham after win over MK Dons