Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United side have one foot in the Europa League final, but they can’t afford to rest easy just yet. Athletic Bilbao, wounded but proud, are set to storm Old Trafford on Thursday, chasing a 3-0 deficit and clinging to hopes of a fairytale final in their own San Mames stadium.
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Preview
- Competition: UEFA Europa League – Semi-Final (2nd Leg)
- First Leg Result: Athletic Bilbao 0-3 Manchester United
- Date: Thursday, 8 May 2025
- Time: 20:00 BST (21:00 CEST)
- Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
- Broadcast: BT Sport (UK), Movistar Liga de Campeones (Spain), Paramount+ (USA)
The first leg in the Basque country was a disaster for the hosts. After a relatively balanced start, disaster struck in the 35th minute when Dan Vivian saw red for bringing down Rasmus Hojlund in the box. Bruno Fernandes calmly slotted home the penalty, and from there, United took complete control. Bilbao never recovered, and the scoreline could have been far worse than 3-0.
For United, this European run is their only shot at redemption. With a dismal Premier League campaign that has them languishing in 15th with 39 points from 35 matches, winning the Europa League is their golden ticket to Europe next season.
Bruno Fernandes has been instrumental throughout, and his 7 goals make him the joint-top scorer in this year’s competition. However, United’s Achilles heel remains at the back—they have managed just six clean sheets in all competitions, and keeping out Bilbao’s hungry attackers won’t be easy.
Injured players:
Manchester United: Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee, Lisandro Martinez and Amad Diallo.
Athletic Bilbao: Dani Vivian (suspended), Oihan Sancet, Inaki Williams and Nico Williams.
Bilbao are 4th in La Liga and still a team brimming with talent. Despite a recent dip in goals, they’ll be desperate to make a mark at Old Trafford and revive their dream of a home final. Even if the mountain appears too high, expect Ernesto Valverde’s side to throw everything forward and at least make the Red Devils sweat. A dramatic night awaits at Old Trafford, with both teams playing for their season.
