Rangers’ hopes of lifting the Europa League trophy were brought to an end by Athletic Club, who progressed to the semi-finals and kept alive their dream of winning the tournament on home soil at San Mamés.
Having drawn confidence from a first-leg result in Glasgow—where goalkeeper Liam Kelly’s crucial penalty save gave them a fighting chance—Rangers travelled to Bilbao with belief. That optimism nearly turned into an early breakthrough when Cyriel Dessers was dragged down in the box by Daniel Vivian. Despite his shirt being torn in the process, the referee waved away strong appeals for a penalty, leaving the striker and his teammates furious.
The turning point came just before half-time. John Souttar clumsily brought down Nico Williams in the area, gifting Athletic a penalty. Oihan Sancet stepped up and coolly slotted past Kelly, sending the home crowd into raptures and putting the LaLiga side in control of the tie.
The second half turned into an uphill battle for Rangers. Injuries to Ridvan Yilmaz, Ianis Hagi, and Leon Balogun disrupted their momentum, though Barry Ferguson’s side kept pushing. Nico Raskin came agonisingly close to leveling the score when his long-range strike rattled off the post, but luck remained elusive.
Rangers’ final hopes were dashed when Nico Williams—linked with a summer move to Arsenal—headed home at the back post after a lapse in concentration from captain James Tavernier. It was a moment of quality that sealed the victory and underlined Athletic Club’s dominance on the night.
Ernesto Valverde’s men will now face either Manchester United or Lyon in the semi-finals, with their sights firmly set on reaching the final in their own iconic stadium. For Rangers, the defeat not only ends their European adventure but also confirms a trophyless season, leaving little left to play for as the campaign winds down.
