Rangers held La Liga high-flyers Athletic Bilbao to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Ibrox on Thursday, despite being reduced to 10 men early in the match. Robin Propper was sent off for a late tackle on Inaki Williams, but the Light Blues showed their character to keep a clean sheet against a strong Bilbao side.
Liam Kelly made a crucial save to deny Alex Berenguer’s penalty, which was awarded after VAR disallowed a goal for handball by Dujon Sterling. The VAR system was in use throughout the match, with Istvan Kovacs having a night to forget as the on-field referee.
Andy Halliday was furious with Propper’s tackle, calling it “ridiculous” and questioning the decision to upgrade the initial caution to a red card. However, Rangers showed their class in Europe, with the team standing firm despite being down to 10 men.
The draw is a significant result for Rangers, who have enjoyed a remarkable Europa League campaign despite a disappointing domestic season. The Ibrox faithful will be hoping that their team can build on this result and make a strong showing in the second leg next week.
With John Souttar returning from suspension, Propper was likely to be dropped anyway. If Rangers can keep 11 men on the pitch and show the same sort of heart in the second leg, they could be set for the Europa League semi-finals.
