Jack Butland: Rangers will face Athletic Bilbao without fear

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland says the players will face Athletic Bilbao with ‘nothing to fear’ after his heroics helped the side into the Europa League quarter-finals.

Fenerbahce’s 2-0 win in regulation time at Ibrox had cancelled out Rangers’ 3-1 first leg advantage and extra time couldn’t split the sides. In a tense penalty shoot-out Butland made two terrific saves to help dump Jose Mourinho’s side out of the competition and march into the last eight.

The goalkeeper said the players will now look ahead with optimism and pointed to the run to the final in 2022 as evidence that they don’t need to feel any trepidation.

“When the boys got to the final years back, we didn’t fear anyone,” Butland said. “I think that’s important.

“We’ve got respect for the opposition and it’s Bilbao in the next round. It’s going to be another tough side.

“But we’ve got to back ourselves, as we’ve done over these two legs, and aim to get through to the semi-finals.

“There is nothing to fear. The Tottenham game, the games that we played away, the United game, a game where we probably should have got more from the game. We’ve shown that we can compete and we’re not out of place at all.

“The belief is there and the group at the minute is full of confidence and it does believe.”

The Englishman also reflected on his contribution and said the penalty saves were down to doing his homework and studying the opponent.

“It doesn’t always go your way, but I always back myself through good and bad,” he said.

“I’ve always had the confidence and belief in myself. But put that aside, it was just a special night. I did plenty of penalty prep before the game last week, depending on who it would have been.

“I felt like I did a good job of predicting where people were going to go, but you still never know. You need a bit of luck. I guess it was meant to be for us on Thursday. I’m delighted for everyone.”