Rangers will host Athletic Club Bilbao in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final at Ibrox on Thursday.
At the weekend, the La Liga club settled for a goalless draw against Villarreal, and Aitor Paredes and Yuri Berchiche picked up injuries. Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta and Yeray Álvarez were left out of the squad for this tie.
Tuesday’s edition of Mundo Deportivo claims the Athletic quarter are ‘not ruled out’ to face Barry Ferguson’s Rangers on Thursday.
Berchiche was replaced after 35 minutes against Villarreal due to a muscle problem. At first glance, the 35-year-old left-back’s injury seemed serious.
The report claims he could have asked to be replaced as a precaution to avoid a serious setback. Therefore, he could travel to Glasgow to face Rangers in the Europa League.
Paredes also left the pitch in the 73rd minute and the newspaper state the 24-year-old’s substitution was mainly a precautionary measure, considering he had a muscle problem earlier.
Álvarez, 30, was forced to miss last weekend’s tie due to a muscle problem, while 31-year-old Galarreta returned to training last week.
As well as Paredes and Berchiche, the report states it’s ‘not out of question’ for Athletic manager Ernesto Valverde to include the duo in the squad to face Rangers.
