Inside Futbol
·10 April 2025
What We Have Seen – Athletic Bilbao Star Identifies Rangers Danger

Inside Futbol
·10 April 2025
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Athletic Bilbao star Aitor Paredes has hailed Rangers as a great team and pointed out that the Gers know how to use the spaces in games, ahead of the Europa League clash at Ibrox tonight.
Rangers defeated Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in a thrilling tie in the round of 16 to book a spot in the quarter-final of the Europa League and they are set to face Athletic Bilbao now, a game we have previewed here.
The Gers’ current home form will be troubling them as they are winless at home in their last five games within 90 minutes.
However, Paredes insisted that despite Rangers poor home record, they will have the backing of their home support to push for a spot in the semi-final of the tournament and added that no game in Europe is considered an easy game.
The Athletic Bilbao star revealed that so far their study of Rangers’ team before the game indicates that the Ibrox outfit are a great team and pointed out that Barry Ferguson’s side know how to utilise the spaces to hurt their opponents.
“They are not going to be a bad team”, Paredes said at a press conference.
“They are going to have everyone behind them pushing in a quarter-final round.
“What we have seen from them says that they are a great team that play very well in space.
“In Europe nothing is easy and at this level anyone can punish you.”
Rangers so far have been inconsistent under Ferguson and they will be keen on finding a rhythm from now to the end of the season to secure silverware.
Athletic Bilbao have lost only twice so far in the Europa League and both of them have come from away games.
Rangers will be determined to utilise home advantage to establish a lead in the tie.