Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao LIVE commentary: Ruben Amorim can emulate Jose Mourinho as Red Devils eye rare Europa League feat

Manchester United are on the brink of the Europa League final as they head into their semi-final second leg, live on talkSPORT. The Red Devils thrashed Athletic Bilbao in the first leg, taking a 3-0 lead into half time before maintaining that advantage. United have one foot in the Europa League final heading into the second legGetty Bruno Fernandes scored two after Casemiro headed in the opener following a skilful assist from Harry Maguire that led to him receiving a new nickname. Ruben Amorim won’t feel the job is done yet, but surely Bilbao’s task of overturning a three-goal deficit at Old Trafford is too much. If United manage to see the tie out, they will become the seventh time to reach the Europa League final without losing a single game throughout the campaign. Man United vs Athletic Bilbao: Amorim X Mourinho Amorim has an impressive personal achievement that he will be aiming for alongside his focus on his team. The Portuguese boss can emulate his compatriot Jose Mourinho. Mourinho is the only Red Devils manager to reach a major European final in his first season in charge of the club. He did so in the 2016/17 Europa League – with that appearance in the final ending up with the club winning its most recent title in Europe. The feat can now be matched by Amorim if his side overcome Athletic Bilbao and book their place in the 2024/25 showpiece. The United boss is also on the brink of becoming the first manager of an English club to reach a major European final in their debut campaign since 2021. Thomas Tuchel did so with Chelsea before winning the Champions League four years ago. Amorim can match Mourinho’s achievementGetty In all major European competitions, only one side has ever won the first leg of a two-legged knockout tie away from home by 3+ goals and failed to progress, with Maccabi Tel Aviv doing so against Olympiakos in the 2023-24 UEFA Conference League last 16 (4-1 away win, 6-1 home defeat after extra-time). In the five previous matches between Manchester United and Athletic Club, there have been 22 goals (4.4 per game), with the Red Devils scoring 12 and conceding 10. All five of those matches have seen at least three goals scored. Athletic Club have lost seven of their nine previous away games against English sides in all European competitions (W1 D1), although their most recent was a 3-2 win over Manchester United in March 2012 in the UEFA Europa League. Man United vs Athletic Bilbao: Team news After making eight changes for United’s defeat to Brentford on Sunday, Amorim will bring back his big guns for this game. Fernandes, Casemiro, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Noussair Mazraoui were among those rested and should be back in the team. Matthijs De Ligt started last time out, but after picking up another injury, he’s unlikely to be playing any part in this second leg. Diogo Dalot is out too, but should Mazraoui cover at centre-back for De Ligt, Amad Diallo could play at wing-back for his first start since February. As for Bilbao, Nico Williams is fighting to be fit after sitting out of their LaLiga clash at the weekend, while Oscar De Marcos is also a doubt. Williams missed Bilbao’s game at the weekend so is a doubt for ThursdayGetty Iñaki Williams has scored four of Athletic Club’s seven away goals in his season’s UEFA Europa League (57%). The only player to score more away goals in a single campaign in major European competition for the club is Aritz Aduriz, who has done so twice, both in the UEFA Europa League (6 in 2015-16, 5 in 2017-18). Manchester United have scored 31 goals in this season’s UEFA Europa League – more than any other side. Only in 2002-03 (32) and 2020-21 (34) have they ever scored more in a single campaign in major European competition. Man United vs Athletic Bilbao: What has been said? Amorim admitted that full focus has been on this Europa League semi-final over the weekend, as he massively rotated his side in the Premier League. He said after the loss to Brentford: “I think it’s stressful to lose games, [but] when we’re fighting for a title it’s not stressful. “I have no doubts that we are playing better and we are understanding the way we play, even in this context. “So we have to take all the hits in this moment. We are losing games in the Premier League, but we are fighting for the Europa League. “So we need to accept that and to think about Thursday now, which is the most important game for us.” Amorim added: “As a club, we need to understand in this moment that we have a big responsibility [to win the Europa League]. We have to prepare a squad for different competitions. After losing the first leg 3-0 at home, Athletic Club could lose both their home and away leg of a knockout tie in major European competition for only the third time, after the 1967-68 Inter-Cities Fairs

May 6, 2025 - 16:54

Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao LIVE commentary: Ruben Amorim can emulate Jose Mourinho as Red Devils eye rare Europa League feat

Manchester United are on the brink of the Europa League final as they head into their semi-final second leg, live on talkSPORT.

The Red Devils thrashed Athletic Bilbao in the first leg, taking a 3-0 lead into half time before maintaining that advantage.

United have one foot in the Europa League final heading into the second leg

Bruno Fernandes scored two after Casemiro headed in the opener following a skilful assist from Harry Maguire that led to him receiving a new nickname.

Ruben Amorim won’t feel the job is done yet, but surely Bilbao’s task of overturning a three-goal deficit at Old Trafford is too much.

If United manage to see the tie out, they will become the seventh time to reach the Europa League final without losing a single game throughout the campaign.

Man United vs Athletic Bilbao: Amorim X Mourinho

Amorim has an impressive personal achievement that he will be aiming for alongside his focus on his team.

The Portuguese boss can emulate his compatriot Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho is the only Red Devils manager to reach a major European final in his first season in charge of the club.

He did so in the 2016/17 Europa League – with that appearance in the final ending up with the club winning its most recent title in Europe.

The feat can now be matched by Amorim if his side overcome Athletic Bilbao and book their place in the 2024/25 showpiece.

The United boss is also on the brink of becoming the first manager of an English club to reach a major European final in their debut campaign since 2021.

Thomas Tuchel did so with Chelsea before winning the Champions League four years ago.

In all major European competitions, only one side has ever won the first leg of a two-legged knockout tie away from home by 3+ goals and failed to progress, with Maccabi Tel Aviv doing so against Olympiakos in the 2023-24 UEFA Conference League last 16 (4-1 away win, 6-1 home defeat after extra-time).
In the five previous matches between Manchester United and Athletic Club, there have been 22 goals (4.4 per game), with the Red Devils scoring 12 and conceding 10. All five of those matches have seen at least three goals scored.
Athletic Club have lost seven of their nine previous away games against English sides in all European competitions (W1 D1), although their most recent was a 3-2 win over Manchester United in March 2012 in the UEFA Europa League.

Man United vs Athletic Bilbao: Team news

After making eight changes for United’s defeat to Brentford on Sunday, Amorim will bring back his big guns for this game.

Fernandes, Casemiro, Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Noussair Mazraoui were among those rested and should be back in the team.

Matthijs De Ligt started last time out, but after picking up another injury, he’s unlikely to be playing any part in this second leg.

Diogo Dalot is out too, but should Mazraoui cover at centre-back for De Ligt, Amad Diallo could play at wing-back for his first start since February.

As for Bilbao, Nico Williams is fighting to be fit after sitting out of their LaLiga clash at the weekend, while Oscar De Marcos is also a doubt.

Williams missed Bilbao’s game at the weekend so is a doubt for Thursday

Iñaki Williams has scored four of Athletic Club’s seven away goals in his season’s UEFA Europa League (57%). The only player to score more away goals in a single campaign in major European competition for the club is Aritz Aduriz, who has done so twice, both in the UEFA Europa League (6 in 2015-16, 5 in 2017-18).
Manchester United have scored 31 goals in this season’s UEFA Europa League – more than any other side. Only in 2002-03 (32) and 2020-21 (34) have they ever scored more in a single campaign in major European competition.

Man United vs Athletic Bilbao: What has been said?

Amorim admitted that full focus has been on this Europa League semi-final over the weekend, as he massively rotated his side in the Premier League.

He said after the loss to Brentford: “I think it’s stressful to lose games, [but] when we’re fighting for a title it’s not stressful.

“I have no doubts that we are playing better and we are understanding the way we play, even in this context.

“So we have to take all the hits in this moment. We are losing games in the Premier League, but we are fighting for the Europa League.

“So we need to accept that and to think about Thursday now, which is the most important game for us.”

Amorim added: “As a club, we need to understand in this moment that we have a big responsibility [to win the Europa League]. We have to prepare a squad for different competitions.

After losing the first leg 3-0 at home, Athletic Club could lose both their home and away leg of a knockout tie in major European competition for only the third time, after the 1967-68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup quarter-final against Ferencvárosi TC, and the 2017-18 UEFA Europa League last 16 against Marseille.
Manchester United have lost just one of their last 30 home games in the UEFA Europa League (W23 D6), a 0-1 group stage defeat to Real Sociedad in September 2022. Indeed, they must lose by at least three goals in order to not progress from this tie – the Red Devils have never in their history lost a home game in any European competition by a margin of 3+ goals.
Athletic Club have forced more shot-ending high turnovers than any other side in the UEFA Europa League this season (26), while Manchester United rank second for this (23).