Football betting tips: Europa League
1pt Connor Barron to be shown a card at 11/4 (Sky Bet)
*all bets in 90 minutes
BuildABet @ 26/1
- Connor Barron to be shown a card
- Nico Williams to score anytime
- Oihan Sancet 2+ shots on target
Rangers are alive in the tie - an achievement in itself after playing the large majority of the first leg with ten men.
Robin Pröpper receiving his marching orders just 13 minutes into the Ibrox encounter led to a performance which saw the visitors posting 19 shots to Rangers' four.
And yet neither side could score, despite a penalty. The grit and determination which Rangers seemingly find from nowhere on big European nights were there and while it should, on paper, be a straightforward Athletic Club win, that factor is always in mind.
This is the fourth best team in Spain, according to the current LaLiga standings anyway. It feels very likely at this point they'll be playing Champions League football next season one way or another.
They're likely to be on the front foot throughout and enjoying the majority of the chances - a similar pattern to that of the first leg should emerge even if it's against 11 men this time around.
The hosts will want an early goal though. The longer it's level, the more chance Rangers have of stealing it.
What are the best bets?
Everything in favour of the hosts is an expected short price and you'd need some bravery to back Rangers to emerge with something.
Cards could be the avenue to explore given the potential one-sided nature of it. It benefits Rangers to commit plenty of fouls to disrupt any flow to the game.
Referee Irfan Peljto has already taken charge of one Athletic Club game this season - that delivered five yellows and a red when they faced Fenerbahce in the group stage.
I'm targeting CONNOR BARRON TO BE CARDED here with 11/4 available on the bet.
The midfielder came off the bench in the first leg but he should replace Bailey Rice in the XI given his limited amount of minutes so far this season.
Barron's committed at least one foul in four of his last five league outings with four coming in the away win at Celtic in the Old Firm. In the Europa League, it's 1+ fouls in seven of eight starts.
He's been booked twice in this competition and while a potential suspension is hanging over him should he be carded again, it's much preferable to take one when required.
Rangers may well have only committed six fouls in the first leg yet a change of approach may be more beneficial here, which should lead to cards.
Team news
Athletic Club will be without left-back Yuri Berchiche as he missed out with a calf injury.
Inaki Williams is also a doubt, with their boss Ernesto Valverde admitting it's a race against time for the forward to be fit enough for involvement.
Rangers see Pröpper suspended after his red card in the first leg. Dujon Sterling is also out but John Souttar does return after serving a suspension of his own.
Mohamed Diomande is also back after a ban but it's unclear if he'll be given a starting role.
Predicted line-ups
Athletic Club XI: Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Yeray, Lekue; De Galarreta, Jaureguizar; N. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Sannadi.
Rangers XI: Kelly; Tavernier, Balogun, Souttar; Yilmaz, Raskin, Barron, Jefte; Cerny, Hagi; Dessers.
Match facts
- Athletic Club have only hosted Rangers once before, beating them 2-0 in the Fairs Cup in April 1969. The only other time Athletic have hosted a Scottish club was in two games against Dunfermline in 1965, also in the Fairs Cup, winning 1-0 and then 2-1 in a deciding game.
- Rangers won 3-2 away at Real Betis in their last European game in Spain, having gone 13 away games without winning there beforehand between 1962 and 2018 (D3 L10).
- On the last five occasions Athletic Club have drawn the first leg of a major European tie, they’ve been eliminated each time. The last time a draw in the first leg was followed up with Athletic getting through to the next round was in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup semi-final against RWD Molenbeek (1-1 first leg, 0-0 second leg, progressed on away goals).
- Rangers scored in each of their first nine UEFA Europa League matches this season, netting 19 goals. However, they have failed to score in either of their last two, having 27 shots without finding the net.
- Athletic Club are the only team with a 100% win ratio on home soil in the UEFA Europa League this season, winning all five games. They’ve never won six home games in a major European season before, winning five in 1976-77 under Koldo Aguirre and five in 2011-12 under Marcelo Bielsa.
- Only Lyon (13) have scored more away UEFA Europa League goals than Rangers (11) this season, while only Lazio (4) have won more games than the Gers (3). Rangers have never previously won four away matches in a major European campaign.
- Rangers captain James Tavernier has played 62 major European matches for the Gers, level with John Greig, with only Allan McGregor playing more times (78). He’s also made the most appearances of any Englishman in the UEFA Europa League (58 – 56 for Rangers, 2 for Newcastle) and only Andreas Ulmer for RB Salzburg (61) and Matheus for Braga (58) have more for a single club than his 56 for Rangers.
- Óscar De Marcos could make a record breaking 58th major European appearance for Athletic Club in this match, overtaking former teammate Markel Susaeta who is level with him on 57 games currently.
Odds correct at 1515 BST (16/04/25)
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