Rangers chairman Fraser Thornton and CEO Patrick Stewart visited Athletic Club's training ground this morning ahead of the Europa League quarter-final second leg between the sides tonight.
The pair left a bouquet of flowers next to a statue in honour of Athletic legend Telmo Zarra at their Lezama training facility.
Read more:
-
Athletic Club vs Rangers: TV channel, live stream & kick-off time
-
Hibs slash Rangers ticket allocation for high-stakes season finale
They were joined by Bilbao great Andoni Goikoetxea, as they paid tribute to Zarra, whose La Liga goalscoring record has only been bettered by Lionel Messi:
We were honoured to be invited to @AthleticClub’s Lezama training facility this morning to lay flowers in honour of their club legend, Telmo Zarra. Having followed tradition on our first visit here in 1969 by leaving flowers at the Pichichi bust at San Mames, Chairman, Fraser… pic.twitter.com/rWZonz9PtS
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) April 17, 2025
The gesture comes after Jose Angel Iribar and Jon Uriarte laid a wreath outside Ibrox ahead of last week's first leg in Glasgow.
Iribar, who played against Rangers in the 1968-69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, led the party alongside Uriarte as flowers were placed outside the stadium in memory of those who sadly lost their lives in the tragedies of 1902 and 1971.
Athletic president Uriarte said: "We wanted to show our respect to Rangers Football Club and their fans with this tribute and these flowers in respect of those who lost their lives in the tragedies of 1902 and 1971.
"Thank you, Rangers Football Club and fans, for your hospitality."
In response to this morning's gesture, an Athletic statement on X read: "As a gesture of respect, Rangers FC president Fraser Thornton and their CEO, Patrick Stewart, left a bouquet of flowers next to Telmo Zarra’s bust while visiting Lezama. "Thank you very much!
