Despite playing for over 80 minutes, including stoppage time, with an extra player, and maintaining over 70% possession while preventing Rangers from any shots on target, Athletic Bilbao could not secure a win at Ibrox, drawing with a resilient Rangers side in the first leg.

The Spanish team entered Glasgow as favorites and controlled the game after Robin Propper's first-half red card, but they were thwarted by Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who saved an 82nd-minute penalty from Alex Berenguer to keep the score level.

Ernesto Valverde's squad ended a streak of three consecutive 0-0 draws across all competitions with a 3-1 comeback victory at home against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Sunday, thanks to late goals from substitutes Oihan Sancet (two goals) and Nico Williams, helping the Basque team solidify their fourth-place position.

Competing in a major European quarter-final for the first time since the 2015-16 season, Athletic Bilbao aims to reach this year's Europa League final at their home stadium for the first time since 2012, when they lost to Atletico Madrid in the final.

Athletic Bilbao is the only team with a perfect 100% home record in this season's Europa League, winning all five home matches. However, in their last five instances of drawing the first leg of a European knockout tie, they have been eliminated each time. Their last progression after a first-leg draw was in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup semi-finals against RWD Molenbeek.

After seeing his Rangers team lose their previous five home matches in a row across 90 minutes, manager Barry Ferguson was proud of their determined performance in last week's first leg, but he emphasized that the Gers must be fully focused to succeed in Bilbao.

Rangers fought back to earn another draw while playing with 10 men last weekend, coming from two goals down at halftime to secure a 2-2 result against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership, with substitute Ianis Hagi scoring a dramatic 96th-minute equalizer.

In the Scottish Premiership, Rangers are now playing primarily for pride, sitting 15 points behind leaders and champions-elect Celtic with only five games left, while they lead third-placed Hibernian by 13 points.

Rangers are fully concentrated on reaching the Europa League final for the second time in four years, though they have failed to win the first leg in each of their last six European quarter-final ties; however, they have won the second leg in the last three such matches.

The Glasgow club, unbeaten in their last seven away matches across all competitions (W6 D1), has already tasted victory in Spain this season, defeating Real Betis 3-2 in the Europa League League Phase in mid-December. This ended a 13-game winless streak in Spain between 1962 and 2008 (D3 L10).

Athletic Bilbao is monitoring the fitness of forward Inaki Williams, who sustained a muscle injury late in their win over Rayo Vallecano, while left-back Yuri Berchiche remains out with a calf strain.

If Williams is unavailable, his brother Nico could start on the right flank, with Berenguer staying on the left, and Sancet likely replacing Unai Gomez in the number 10 role. Meanwhile, Maroan Sannadi and Gorka Guruzeta continue to compete for the striker position.

Julen Agirrezabala is expected to return as Athletic's Europa League goalkeeper, replacing Unai Simon, while Oscar de Marcos, Yeray Alvarez, and Inigo Lekue may feature in defense.

For Rangers, Dujon Sterling (Achilles injury) and Neraysho Kasanwirjo (knee injury) are still sidelined, and Propper is suspended after his first-leg red card.

However, Rangers will benefit from the return of John Souttar and Mohamed Diomande, who missed the first leg due to suspension. Souttar is expected to replace Propper alongside James Tavernier and Leon Balogun in the back three.

Jack Butland may again be on the bench after recent errors, with Liam Kelly likely to start in goal. Nicolas Raskin and Connor Barron are set to continue in central midfield, while Diomande could rejoin the lineup to support Vaclav Cerny—Rangers' leading Europa League scorer with six goals—behind striker Cyriel Dessers.

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; De Marcos, Alvarez, Vivian, Lekue; De Galarreta, Jauregizar; N. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta

Rangers possible starting lineup:

Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun; Yilmaz, Barron, Raskin, Jefte; Diomande, Cerny; Dessers