Rangers Face Injury Crisis Ahead of Athletic Bilbao Europa League Clash

Rangers face a crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao in Spain, with the Spanish side considered heavy favorites after the first leg ended 0-0. Interim head coach Barry Ferguson confirmed that key players, including Leon Balogun, Vaclav Cerny, Bailey Rice, and Ridvan Yilmaz, trained ahead of the match and are in contention to play, though several others remain injury doubts. Ferguson emphasized the importance of keeping eleven men on the pitch, as Rangers have suffered red cards in recent games, and highlighted the challenge of overcoming Bilbao’s strong home record. The team’s confidence was boosted by a dramatic 2-2 draw against Aberdeen, despite playing much of the game with ten men. Ferguson stated that Rangers are well-prepared for all scenarios, including penalties if the aggregate score remains level, and praised Bilbao as competition favorites with top players and a strong manager. The outcome rests on whether Rangers can overcome injuries and suspensions to achieve a surprise result in Bilbao.