Athletic Bilbao Advances to Europa League Quarterfinals with Group Runner-up Position; Set to Face a Ligue 1 Club in the Round of 16

The Athletic Bilbao have advanced to the Europa League quarter-finals after securing a group runner-up position in their Europa League campaign.

The Basque club, who were crowned champions of Spain last season, faced off against Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes in the round of 16 on Saturday night.

Despite being down to two points, Athletic bounced back and won 2-1, thanks to goals from Jordi Alba and Samuel Umtiti.

This victory not only secured the team's spot in the quarter-finals but also set up a clash with Ligue 1 side Lyon in the final round of fixtures.

Bilbao's progress was a major blow for their rivals, Lille, who had been chasing them throughout the competition.

However, they will be hoping that their performance at home will give them the edge over Lyon when they meet in the final.

Overall, the Athletic Bilbao's achievement was a testament to their resilience and determination as they battled through a tough group stage.

With this result, they have now qualified for the Europa League quarter-finals for the first time since 2017.