On the last occasion Rangers were in Bilbao for a competitive game, the hosts had an extra o in their name. Of more relevance to the visitors was the comfort of four extra goals they could rely on compared with their return on Thursday evening. A fraught night lies in prospect as Barry Ferguson’s team prepare for what is essentially a cup final. A goalless draw in the first leg at Ibrox against Athletic Club Bilbao, known as Atletico Bilbao when Rangers were last in town 56 years ago after a royal decree issued during Francisco Franco's dictatorship, means the odds are stacked firmly against the Scots as they attempt to reach the last four stage of the Europa League. This was not the case in 1969 although some caution was advised. Rangers held a 4-1 lead from the first leg of their Fairs Cup quarter-final tie at Ibrox, when they also missed a penalty. Never mind winning on Spanish soil, they had at that point never scored a goal in the country in European competition. Even if that remained the case following the second leg, it was hoped Rangers would avoid conceding the three goals required by the hosts to progress courtesy of the away goal rule introduced four years earlier. And the visitors did avoid doing that, if only just. “Rangers dangled dangerously on a cliff edge for 35 minutes here in the Campo San Mames stadium tonight,” wrote Ken Gallacher in the Daily Record. “For these 35 heart-stopping minutes Rangers lived as dangerously as they have ever lived in European football.” They conceded after ten minutes and again after 55 minutes. Willie Johnston being sent off ten minutes from time after a punch-up with right-back Jose Ramon Betzuen did not help matters but Rangers held on to silence the 40,000 crowd and book a semi-final date against Newcastle United, which they lost. Such considerable margin for error is not available to Ferguson and co on a night where so much is at stake. It feels like a last stand for several reasons. Rangers’ hopes of securing something tangible from this season hinge on gaining a positive result. They have nothing to lose. Ferguson has already reached the point where he has nothing to lose, something illustrated by last week’s bold decision to replace out of form goalkeeper Jack Butland with Liam Kelly. He acknowledged prior to the match that whatever he decides to do will be on “my shoulders”. This high-profile switch was vindicated when Kelly kept Rangers level in the tie with a penalty save in the second half. Ferguson has no obligation to be loyal to players he might only be working with for another few weeks. Being eliminated from the Europa League at the hands of the favourites at this stage is no disgrace. Indeed, a last eight appearance was better than had been expected. But it will surely spell the end for Ferguson’s ambitions to be unveiled as the 20th permanent of Rangers. It’s Bilbao or bust for him as well as some of his players, several of whom might be making their last-ever European appearance for the club. The Ferguson-era Rangers appear to be at their best when they are on the ropes, although that is not necessarily a recommendation. An ability to scramble results, the latest case in point being at Aberdeen on Sunday, certainly isn’t sufficient to land Ferguson the manager’s job on a full-time basis. Rangers need game control, a firm base. Not this seat-of-the-pants existence that Ferguson admits is giving him grey hairs. Rangers should not be getting into positions where they must make the kinds of comeback recently posted at places like Dens Park and Pittodrie, when they came back from 2-0 down with only ten men. It’s been a running theme since Ferguson took over in February, when he almost immediately found himself staring calamity in the face. Rangers quickly went 2-0 going on 4-0 down against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. He turned it around that night, as he has more often than not since replacing Philippe Clement just over 50 days ago. Rangers have lost the first goal in six of their nine outings since that crazy first night in Kilmarnock. Last week’s goalless draw against Athletic is one of just three games under Ferguson when they have not conceded first. It was an admirable effort not to do so following Robin Propper’s early red card and gives Rangers a fighting chance in the cauldron-like atmosphere of the San Mames stadium. As the Scottishfootball.info site has pointed out, a first leg advantage, while preferable, is not vital. Of the previous four victorious quarter-final ties for Scottish clubs in Europe, only once, when Dundee United played Barcelona in 1987, was the first leg won. The last two times Rangers have reached the last four stage in Europe they did so on the back of a 0-0 draw against Sporting Lisbon in 2008 and after losing 1-0 to Braga in 2022. On the first of these occasions, the goalless draw was achieved in Lisbon. Everything was set up for Rangers to progress in the return leg back in Govan. That isn’t the case this week. Hosts Athletic are the overwhelming favourites. They are lying fourth in La Liga. Only Barcelona and the Madrid clubs are above them. They have conceded only 25 times in 31 league matches and have four clean sheets in their last five outings, including at Ibrox – although that was nothing to crow about against ten men. Something that does fill Athletic with pride is maintaining to the present day a policy of only signing players either born or home grown in the Basque country. Significantly, they have remained competitive while observing this unique and some might say controversial and exclusionary practice. Critics wonder if it's really any different to not signing players because of religion. Still, such loyalty to the land means Athletic are fiercely desperate to keep an appointment with the Europa League final scheduled to take place at their own stadium on 21 May. Rangers prevailing in these circumstances must be considered supremely unlikely and would surely merit a new conversation when it comes to the issue of Ferguson’s long-term future.