Rangers vs Athletic Bilbao Bet Builder Tips, Best Bets, Stats, Predictions

Anyone who watched the Rangers v Fenerbahce games in the Round of 16 will have heard Ally McCoist begging the players to give the ball to Vaclav Cerny whenever possible, and with good reason. In European competition, no regular Rangers starters come close to Cerny’s 1.69 shots on target per 90 in the Europa League this season.

The Czechia international already has 6 goals in the Europa League, including a brace in that huge 3-1 away win against Fenerbahce. The 27-year-old winger has now had at least one shot on target in 8 consecutive games for Rangers in the competition.

Cerny has tested the opposition keeper in 16 of his last 19 games for club and country. He will be a key outlet for Rangers, who could find themselves under severe pressure from a side who are now the betting favourites to win the whole tournament. With his impressive record in European competition, a price of 1.62 for Cerny to hit the target just once makes this selection a very appealing
one.

Nicolas Raskin is a defensive-minded midfielder, but he has evolved as the season has gone on to become much more of an attacking threat, something Rangers will need plenty of in what is likely to be their toughest game of the season to date.

The 24-year-old has now had at least one shot in 18 of his last 20 Rangers starts, a stat which makes his price of 1.50 to have a single shot look way too big. With the Belgium international getting shots away against Celtic (twice), Man United, and Fenerbahce (twice), bigger opponents do not seem to be an issue when it comes to attempts on goal. Surprisingly, his two games without a shot during this run came against Kilmarnock and Motherwell.

He is averaging 1.18 shots per 90 this season, and 1.03 shots per 90 in the Europa League. In Europe he has had at least one shot in each of his last 4 starts, including 5 shots across the two clashes with Fenerbahce in the Round of 16. Highlighting his new-found willingness to shoot, Raskin has also now had at least 2 shots in 5 of his 7 starts under interim boss Barry Ferguson.

The former Alaves forward Maroan Sannadi joined Athletic Club at the end of the January transfer window and has quickly become the go-to-striker in the big games for Ernesto Valverde. The 24-year-old started both legs of the Round of 16 tie with Roma and is expected to start up top again here.

Sannadi fouled 4 times across the two legs of that win over Roma, and has fouled in 4 straight starts for his new club, committing 10 fouls across these 4 games. Across his last 8 appearances for Athletic Club, he has fouled in 7, including in three separate substitute appearances.

In the Europa League Sannadi averages a whopping 2.67 fouls per 90, whilst his all competitions average is only slightly behind this total at 2.55, the most of any Athletic Club player this season.

He will be up against a Rangers’ back three containing James Tavernier, Robin Propper, and Leon Balogun, who have drawn 0.74, 0.81, and 1.17 fouls per 90 in all competitions respectively. With over 2.5 fouls won per 90 between the three players, it looks very likely that Sannadi will commit at least one foul here.

Nicolas Raskin has been fouled in 9 of his last 11 starts for Rangers in all competitions. The Belgium international is more known for the fouls he commits, but we think he offers a strong price to win a foul here.

He has been fouled multiple times in 2 of his last 3 starts for Rangers, and in 4 of his last 8 games for the club in all competitions. He may only be averaging 0.82 fouls drawn per 90, but across these last 11 games, that average is currently sitting at 1.24 fouls drawn per 90. Raskin has also been fouled at least once in 3 of his last 5 Europa League games.

Playing on the right of Rangers’ double-pivot, Raskin will be up against Unai Gomez, Athletic Club’s number 10, and Benat Prados, one of their two defensive midfielders. The former averages 0.90 fouls per 90 in all competitions, whilst Prados fouls an average of 1.70 times per 90 in all competitions. With two players who commit plenty of fouls in and around Raskin throughout, he looks likely to win at least one foul here.