Athletic Club Power Past Rangers into Europa League Semis

Athletic Club booked their spot in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals with a commanding 2-0 win over Rangers at the San Mamés, completing a two-legged tie that left no doubt about who deserved to progress. After a goalless draw in the first leg in Glasgow, the Basque side rose to the occasion in front of a passionate home crowd, dominating the second leg from start to finish and ensuring their European dream remains alive.

From the opening whistle, Athletic Club showed clear intent, pressing high and moving the ball with pace and precision. Nico Williams and Sancet were a constant threat, repeatedly exploiting gaps in the Rangers backline. The hosts looked the more likely to score throughout the first half, with Nico missing a golden chance to open the scoring, firing wide despite an open net after brilliant work from Sannadi.

As the half drew to a close, Athletic’s persistence was finally rewarded. Deep into stoppage time, Sannadi got the better of Souttar in the box and was brought down, earning a penalty for the hosts. Oihan Sancet stepped up confidently and buried the spot-kick into the bottom corner, sending Liam Kelly the wrong way and giving Athletic a deserved lead at the break.

Rangers, needing at least one goal to stay in the tie, tried to respond after halftime, but struggled to gain any meaningful control. Their best chance came when Raskin pounced on a loose ball in the box and fired a shot that cannoned off the post, agonizingly close to giving his side a lifeline. Beyond that, the Scottish side failed to trouble the home defense significantly, registering just two shots all game—one of which was a speculative effort from the halfway line.

Athletic, on the other hand, kept up the pressure and sealed the tie in the 80th minute with a superb team goal. Oscar De Marcos delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, and Nico Williams made no mistake this time, meeting it with a well-timed header to double the lead on the night and all but end Rangers’ hopes of a comeback.

Statistically, the gap between the teams told the story. Athletic posted an impressive 2.57 expected goals (xG) to Rangers’ 0.57, underlining their dominance in both territory and threat. While Rangers had enjoyed an impressive away campaign in Europe up to this point, including a historic win over Real Betis, they were outclassed in Bilbao by a sharper, more cohesive unit.

For Ernesto Valverde and his side, this result marks a significant achievement. The team has now broken a run of five consecutive eliminations following first-leg draws in European competition, showing maturity and progress under his leadership. They now await their semi-final opponents with confidence and momentum on their side.

As for Rangers, it’s a frustrating end to a campaign that had shown real promise. Despite an early burst of form and attacking power in the group stages, their inability to find the net over two legs proved their undoing. Athletic Club, however, march on, buoyed by belief and backed by a roaring San Mamés faithful.