Athletic Bilbao vs Man Utd Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Athletic Club are sensing a date with destiny at the end of May as the Basque giants take on a genuinely poor Manchester United side in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League this week.

Kick-off date/time: Thursday 1st May, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Athletic Bilbao Preview: Basque brilliance

After ending their 40-year hunt for a major trophy by winning the Copa del Rey last season, Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club are now searching to win a first ever European trophy with a UEFA Europa League triumph whereby the final is to be held at their home ground, San Mames.

The Basque giants have pretty much secured a top five spot in La Liga and UEFA Champions League qualification so they will be able to put their whole energy and focus into this competition after a 1-0 defeat of Las Palmas in the Basque Country last week.

Man Utd Preview: Average Red Devils

Manchester United are not a good side and they are struggling in the Premier League with the possibility of even finishing as low as 17th a genuinely realistic one. They did produce a stirring and frankly magnificent comeback to defeat Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter-finals.

2-0 up against ten men at home, though, shouldn’t have required the Red Devils then needing to come from 4-2 down to win late on in extra-time but that is just how fragile this United side are. They earned themselves a late point against ten-man AFC Bournemouth at the weekend.

Athletic Bilbao Team News: Oihan Sancet a doubt

Athletic Club have rotated quite a lot in the UEFA Europa League this season and that means goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala js expected to remain ahead of Spain's first-choice 'keeper Unai Simon. They have some key doubts in attacking midfield such as star man Oihan Sancet as well as Unai Gomez.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Yeray, Paredes, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Prados; I. Williams, Sancet, N. Williams; Guruzeta

Unavailable:

Questionable: Gomez (Injured), Sancet (Injured)

Man Utd Team News: Wing-back injuries

Manchester United travel to Bilbao with a few injury issues such as Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt in defence, whilst Diogo Dalot is a new absentee having missed the weekend due to an injury sustained last week. Netherlands international striker Joshua Zirkzee is out for the rest of this season.

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Lindelof; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Garnacho, Fernandes; Hojlund

Unavailable: Heaven (Injured), Martinez (Injured), De Ligt (Injured), Dalot (Injured), Collyer (Injured), Diallo (Injured), Zirkzee (Injured)

Questionable:

Key Stats

Athletic Club won their only previous two UEFA competition semi-final ties – both in the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League; 1976/77 UEFA Cup vs FC Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek (1-1 agg, won on away goals, 1-1 a, 0-0 h) and 2011/12 UEFA Europa League vs Sporting CP (4-3 agg, 1-2 a, 3-1 h).
These teams have met previously in two UEFA competition ties. Man United won 6-5 on aggregate in the quarter-finals of the 1956/57 Europea Cup and Athletic Club recorded a 5-3 win on aggregate in the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League round of 16.
Athletic Club have won three of the previous four UEFA competition matches between the two teams (L1), including both of their encounters in Spain.
Athletic Club’s last UEFA matches against an English team were their fixtures against Man United in the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League round of 16 (3-2 a, 2-1 h).
Athletic Club have lost only one of their previous eight UEFA competition matches at home against English teams (W4 D3).
Athletic Club have won their previous six UEFA Europa League matches at home this season.
Athletic Club have won nine of their last 12 UEFA competition two-legged ties.
Athletic Club have lost only two of their previous 12 UEFA Europa League matches this season (W8 D2).
Athletic Club have kept four clean sheets in their previous six UEFA Europa League matches at home this season.
Nico Williams has scored four goals in Athletic Club’s last three UEFA Europa League matches at home.
Man. United are in their 18th UEFA competition semi-final. They won eight and lost nine of the previous 17 semi-final ties.
Man. United have won five of their last six UEFA competition semi-final ties. Overall, this is their 18th UEFA competition semi-final tie – their record is W8 L9.
Man. United’s last appearance in a UEFA competition semi-final was an 8-5 aggregate victory against Roma in the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League (6-2 h, 2-3 a).
This is Man. United’s fourth semi-final in the UEFA Europa League (W2 L1). They never featured in the semi-finals in the UEFA Cup era.
Man. United have lost their home leg in only one of their previous 16 UEFA competition two-legged semi-final ties (W9 D6). Note: The number is 16 and not 17 due to the semi-finals in the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League being played as only one match so Man United did not have a fixture at home.
Man. United have lost only one of their last nine UEFA competition matches against Spanish teams (W5 D3).
Man. United have won 14 of their last 15 UEFA Europa League two-legged ties.
Man. United are unbeaten in their previous 12 UEFA Europa League matches this season (W7 D5).
Man. United have lost only one of their last 23 UEFA Europa League matches (W15 D7).
Man. United are unbeaten in their last seven UEFA competition matches away from home (W2 D5).
Only one of Man United’s last 63 UEFA competition matches finished without a goal being scored.

Athletic Bilbao vs Man Utd Prediction

Athletic Club endured a hard-fought quarter-final against Rangers in April but eventually overcame their Scottish counterparts by two goals to nil on aggregate with both of those goals coming at San Mames in the second-leg. Athletic will be aware that, despite everything, United have shown a resilience and hunger to fight back from an almost impossible position. The hosts are favourites for this one but United will seek to defend deep against an Athletic team seeking to ride through on emotion and the intensity of their support.

Athletic Bilbao vs Man Utd Tip: Athletic Club to win