Europa League: Manchester United open the door to the final

Manchester United made a huge statement at San Mamés. Focused, disciplined, and ruthless, Ruben Amorim's men cruised to a 3-0 win on Athletic Bilbao’s turf Thursday night in the Europa League semi-final first leg.

The stadium was packed, the atmosphere electric. But the Red Devils quickly silenced Basque hopes. In the 30th minute, it was Casemiro who broke the deadlock. Finishing off a move as improbable as it was brilliant—sparked by a surging run from Harry Maguire—the Brazilian powered a perfect header into the back of the net.

Seven minutes later, Bilbao collapsed. Dani Vivian, beaten for pace by Rasmus Højlund, brought him down in the box. The referee hesitated, but VAR intervened. The outcome: penalty and a straight red. Bruno Fernandes made no mistake, doubling the lead from the spot. And it didn’t stop there. Right before halftime, the Portuguese international struck again, pouncing on a poor clearance to punish the Basque defense once more. 3-0 at the break.

The second half? Pure game management. With a man advantage, Manchester United controlled the tempo. Bilbao, courageous but limited, never truly threatened André Onana. This commanding win puts Manchester United on the verge of another continental final—their third Europa League final since 2017. Barring a dramatic turnaround in the return leg, the Red Devils are set to face Tottenham, 3-1 winners over Bodo/Glimt.

Aliou Toundé |

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