Europa League Semi-finals 2nd Leg

Manchester United 4:1 Athletic Club

Old Trafford

Kick-off
Thu, 8 May 2025 @ 8:00pm BST
Status

Closed

Discussion Your Lineup Prediction

  • Status
    Not open for further replies.

    Lucky McLuckerson

    The saviour of our season (ask Maradona10)
    Joined
    Nov 5, 2016
    Messages
    0
    ezgif-3-b0c1fb243450.png
    ....................VS........................
    1.png



    Date: Thursday, May 8 2025
    Kickoff Time: 2000 Hrs BST
    Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester

    1.jpg


    Europa League Form Guide

    Manchester United: DWDWW
    Athletic Club: LWDWL


    Previous Europa League Meetings

    Athletic Club 0—3 Manchester United

    Athletic Club 2—1 Manchester United

    Manchester United 2—3 Athletic Club

    Manchester United 3—0 Athletic Club

    Athletic Club 5—3 Manchester United


    All-Time Europa League Record

    Manchester United wins: 2
    Athletic Club wins: 3
    Draws:


    Pre-Match Pressers

    Rubén Amorim




    Ernesto Valverde





    Team News

    Manchester United

    Lisandro Martínez, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Diogo Dalot, Toby Collyer and Chido Obi ruled out. Ayden Heaven doubtful.


    Athletic Club

    Iñaki Williams, Oihan Sancet, Nico Williams and Dani Vivian ruled out.


    Know The opposition

    2.jpg


    Athletic Club, commonly known as Athletic Bilbao or simply Athletic (and nicknamed Lehoiak (The Lions) or Zuri-Gorriak (The Red and Whites)), is a professional football club based in the city of Bilbao in the Basque Country, Spain. Football was introduced to Bilbao by two distinct groups with British connections: British workers, and Basque students returning from schools in Britain. In 1898, Juan Astorquia and six other Basque students belonging to the Gymnasium Zamacois began to practice football in Lamiako. Three years later, in 1901, at a meeting held at the Café García, this group of football pioneers, now larger, began conversations to become a legalized official football club, which they called Athletic Club, using the English spelling. The club is one of three founding members of the Primera División that have never been relegated from the top division since its inception in 1929, the others being Real Madrid and Barcelona.

    The club featured prominently in the Copas del Rey since its inception. Following their triumph at the Copa de la Coronación by Club Bizcaya, Athletic won their first Copa del Rey in 1903. The star of the early teams was Pichichi, a prolific goalscorer who scored the first goal at the San Mamés on 21 August 1913 and a hat-trick in the 1915 final. The last championship won by Pichichi was the 1921 Copa del Rey, before his death aged just 29 in 1922. Today, the La Liga top-scorer is declared the Pichichi in his honour. Along with fellow Basque clubs such as Real Unión, Arenas Club de Getxo and Real Sociedad, Athletic was a founding member of La Liga in 1928. The big star of the of 1940s and 1950s team was Telmo Zarra, who became one of the club's great legends and the top scorer in its history with 335 goals. He won six Pichichi Trophies for being the top scorer in LaLiga (a record only surpassed by Messi in 2020), and his 38 goals in the 1950–51 season stood as a record for 60 years. He was also the top scorer in LaLiga history since 1950 with 251 goals until in 2014 he was surpassed by Lionel Messi and later by Cristiano Ronaldo (however, he is still the top Spanish scorer in the championship).

    Athletic are the fourth most successful club in La Liga with eight titles to their name. In the table of Copa del Rey titles, Athletic is second only to Barcelona, having won it 24 times. It is also the most successful Basque football club in both league and cup titles won. The club also has one of the most successful women's teams in Spain, which has won five championships in the Primera División Femenina. Athletic's main rivals are Real Sociedad, against whom it contests the Basque derby, and Real Madrid, due to sporting and political identity; a minor rivalry also exists with Barcelona due to historical significance. Athletic Club plays its home matches at Estadio de San Mamés.



    Referee

    Daniel Siebert.


    Familiar Faces

    N/A.​
     
    Onana
    Mazraoui Maguire Yoro
    Amad Casemiro Ugarte Dorgu
    Bruno Garnacho
    Hojlund

    The squad pretty much selects itself
     
    Most important thing will be to not gift them the initiative. We have to be on the front foot from the kick-off, because if we try to sit back and defend our lead, I fully expect us to concede and then it's squeaky bum time. Dream scenario is getting at them for the first 20 minutes and getting a goal to kill their hopes and settle the nerves.
     
    The game that matters.

    3 up so we can be patient and control the game. No anxiety whatsoever.
     
    With this team you never know. Let’s just hope we don’t feck it up. I expect Bruno, Casemiro and Maguire to steady the ship again when some of the other players get nervous and we’ll get to the final.

    Onana
    Dorgu Yoro Maguire Lindelof Maz
    Ugarte Casemiro
    Garnacho Bruno
    Hojlund

    I did wonder if we’d start Bruno deeper alongside Casemiro to try and dominate possession a bit more but I expect it will be Ugarte there.
     
    Why are some getting anxious needlessly when we have a three goal lead and we are playing at home this time? We will score at least once again and put the tie to bed
     
    It’s not over yet but we will go through. Hopefully Bodo can score an early goal and go through to the final
     
    Park an entire fleet of busses in the first half, and hit them on the counter because they'll obviously have to take risks.

    If we find a way to piss this lead away, Amorim needs to be fired as soon as the final whistle goes.
     
    We just need to score one goal. I think they will focus on being solid and getting a goal and hoping it to kick on for more goals. So one goal will kill their plan/spirit.
     
    It can be the most boring non-event rotten actionless game of the season.

    I’ll still jump up at FT in celebration if we go through
     
    Feeling good going into this but at the back of my head is also that in our last home game in this competition we did concede four goals, two of them with a man advantage...
     
    Somehow I'd feel happier if we'd got the 3-0 at home and were away for this one.

    We're just so hard to trust at home this season.
     
    Shouldn't be but nervous as feck, we've thrown similar results in Europe in the last two seasons.

    Don't allow them to score on the first 20' if they do were shitting our pants.
     
    Onana
    Mazraoui - Maguire - Yoro
    Amad - Ugarte - Casemiro - Shaw
    Bruno - Hojlund - Garnacho​
     
    1st goal in this is going to be very crucial. We get it then the tie is as good as over. If they get it then it will give them a lift & slight belief that they can claw this one back from an odds on losing position.
     
    Please don’t concede an early goal. There’s no need to invite any nerves or doubt into our play.

    Keep it tidy and professional and get us to the final.
     
    The first goal makes this game. If they get it, they're back in it, even if it's around minute 70 ish. If we get it, the tie is over.
     
    Alemar said:
    Onana
    Mazraoui Maguire Yoro
    Amad Casemiro Ugarte Dorgu
    Bruno Garnacho
    Hojlund

    The squad pretty much selects itself
    Click to expand...
    Yep, I’d say this should be the starting line up, apart form Dorgu they are all playing well and we should look to rest some in the 2nd half when possible.
     
    Bwuk said:
    Onana
    Mazraoui - Maguire - Yoro
    Amad - Ugarte - Casemiro - Shaw
    Bruno - Hojlund - Garnacho​
    Click to expand...
    Don’t think we need to risk Shaw in this one, I’d start Dorgu and keep building Shaws minutes up to the final and then start I’m in that game.

    But Amad and Shaw at wing backs really does start to make the team look a lot better.
     
    soapythecat said:
    When was the last time we conceded 3 at home in Europe?
    As poor as we are, I just don’t see us letting this slip.
    Click to expand...
    I think it was against Lyon all the way back to April 17th which was our last European game at home....
     
    Bilbao need to score 4 to win and we've only conceded 4 goals three times in our last six games so I'm pretty confident.
     
    Could see us wobbling but it’d be insane if we lost this. I reckon 2-2 on the night where at some point they’re 2-1 up and outplaying us and everyone on here is convinced we’ve fecked it.
     
    Alemar said:
    Onana
    Mazraoui Maguire Yoro
    Amad Casemiro Ugarte Dorgu
    Bruno Garnacho
    Hojlund

    The squad pretty much selects itself
    Click to expand...
    I can’t see us playing Amad as a RWB in a game where we don’t need to go for it. He got caught out a few times today despite his great attacking play. Maz will play there and I’d imagine Amad will start on the bench and come on for Garnacho at some point
     
    Expecting the same team as Thursday. Perhaps Shaw might come in for Lindelof but think it’s more likely he’ll go same again.
     
    Well, this is it. The season comes down to how our players can keep calm and progress to the biggest game of the season, so this is equally important!
     
    Nico Williams is injured for their game tonight with a pelvic injury. He didn't do much on Thursday but still having him out is a big plus. Sancet still out too
     
    Wrecking ralf said:
    Nico Williams is injured for their game tonight with a pelvic injury. He didn't do much on Thursday but still having him out is a big plus. Sancet still out too
    Click to expand...
    I noticed Nico was missing from even the bench. I knew they would rest De Marcos as he doesn't seem to play many away games now, which is why he is retiring at the end of the season as doesn't think he can deliver the performances he should. Yuri on bench as well.
     
    Looking at their league record, Bilbao really don't score that many goals. Their defensive record is much more impressive than their attacking record.

    And considering they need minimum 3 goals, we should be fine here.

    I do get the feeling we're going to blitz them first half the same way we did to Lyon in the first half. Bilbao's pressing high up the pitch is intimidating away from home, but at OT you get the feeling there will be all sorts of gaps for us to exploit when the ball breaks our way in the centre of the pitch. If we get the first goal of the night you have to think it's done.

    Having said that, it's hardwired into this club to make things difficult for ourselves. We always seem to do it the hard way, so wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Bilbao are one goal away from levelling the tie at some point and we're hanging on for dear life at the end of the game. One of our players could do something stupid like get themselves sent off.

    Considering we rested players today you'd hope we don't gas out in 2nd half the same way we did against Lyon. We may need to make earlier subs this time in 2nd half to keep things fresh.
     
    Without Sancet, they don't have the goals they need. It will be an easy evening for us.
     
    GlazersHater said:
    I think it was against Lyon all the way back to April 17th which was our last European game at home....
    Click to expand...

    Yeah, he should have prefaced that with "in 90mins".

    The answer being that shitshow of a performance against Galatasaray last season in the CL Group Stage. Onana kicking the ball too Icardi, which resulted in Casemiro getting sent off, Icardi then missed the penalty. But scored later anyway to make it 2-3. Seem to recall Amrabat was atrocious at LB.
     
    I don't think we've ever lost 3-0 at home in Europe though? At least I have no memory in my lifetime? We've had a few 0-2's or 1-3's. I think it would require a really freak result for us to get knocked out. Which obviously isn't impossible, but extremely, extremely unlikely.
     
    Status
    Not open for further replies.
Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Mason Mount image Mason Mount 62% of 233 votes

Runners-up

Player Ratings

6.2 Total Average Rating

Highest Rated Player

Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 221 ratings.
Submit your ratings
View full results

Score Predictions

70,26,42
  • Man Utd win
  • Athletic Club win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 28% Man Utd 2:1 Athletic Club
  • 21% Man Utd 1:1 Athletic Club
  • 10% Man Utd 2:0 Athletic Club
  • 7% Man Utd 1:2 Athletic Club
  • 7% Man Utd 3:1 Athletic Club
  • 7% Man Utd 2:2 Athletic Club
  • 5% Man Utd 1:0 Athletic Club
  • 4% Man Utd 0:3 Athletic Club
  • 3% Man Utd 0:0 Athletic Club
  • 2% Man Utd 1:3 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 2:4 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 0:1 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 0:4 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 0:2 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 4:1 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 1:5 Athletic Club
  • 1% Man Utd 4:3 Athletic Club
Compiled from 138 predictions.
Show more results Score Predictions League Table

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes

Lineup Predictions League Table View your Lineup Prediction