Final Europa League 2025 will be played at Nuevo San Mames in Bilbao. No wonder that local fans dreamed of playing their Athletic in it. The more that in this edition of the Europa League, the Basque team did a great job, and the semi -final with the United Manchester in the Premier League crisis was to prove it. Only that United in this edition of European cups did not lose even once and on Thursday showed why.
Manchester United one step away from the Europa League final. The controversial red card helped
The first 30 minutes of the meeting in Bilbao is the dominance of Athletic and without having a ball. Because Basków allowed Manchester to play it on their own half, but as soon as the “Red Devils” tried to move her forward, it ended with losses and dangerous counterparts of the hosts. The exception was only one – in the 7th minute Alejandro Garnacho was effective alone, but he was also on a burnt and the goal was out of the question.
Athletic, in turn, began with a very dangerous impact from 20 meters of Alex Berenguer, after which Andre Onana intervened well. Moments later, Cameroonian just looked and prayed when in the head of the inaki Williams The ball started centimeters above the bar of his goal. In the 19th minute, on the other hand, ONANA was done by Victor Lindelof, who blocked Alex Berenguer's shot in a great situation. For the hosts.
Manchester for half an hour as if it wasn't on the pitch, but when on them Piurters Ruben Amorima “came back”, they began to emphasize this with specifics. In the 30th minute, the nominal stopwatch Harry Maguire showed a great action on the right wing, who deceived the defender and crossed Leny Yoro's head. He hit the unclean and inaccurate, but closed the action on the further post Casemiro And it was 1: 0.
In the 35th minute there was a huge controversy in the Athletic penalty area. Dani Vivian slightly jerked behind the shoulder of Rasmus Hojlund, who tried to get to the right side of the pitch. A judge from Norway Espen Eskas did not see the offense, but after the intervention VAR approached the monitor. Even then, everyone was expecting a penalty kick for United, but the shock for many was a red card for the Athletic stopwatch, even though it seemed unlikely that Hojlund came to the ball in front of the Agirrezabali goal. The protests, however, did nothing, and the penalty kick in the 37th minute probably turned to the 0: 2 goal by Bruno Fernandes.
Weakened Athletic also got a third blow before the break. This time, after a great team action and serving Manuel's heel Ugarte, he used Fernandes himself with the goalkeeper, completing the doublet in this meeting.
What's more, in the added time it could have been even 0: 4, but the hit from 16 meters of Noussair Mazraou, it covered the crossbar of the Athletic goal. However, no one in Manchester United could complain about 3: 0 for a break.
The second part of the meeting was already stripped of any emotions. The Ruben Amorima team that maintains a favorable result has only tried to look for the fourth goal in the last 20 minutes. Julen Agirrezabal defended Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro strokes from a distance. Casemiro also tried happiness after a corner kick, but he only hit the outer part of the post. Alejandro Garnacho did not use a good situation in the end.
Manchester United Ultimately, he beat Athletic Bilbao 3: 0 and before the rematch on Old Trafford, which will be played in a week, is one leg in the final of the Europa League.