2016 winners Manchester United are chasing another Europa League title to return to the Champions League stage as they face this season’s final host, Athletic Club, at San Mames in the semifinal first leg. The winner of the tie will face Tottenham or Bodo Glimt in the showpiece.
ATH vs MUN Match Details
Date: Thursday, 1 May 2025 / Friday, 2 May 2025
Time: 21:00 (CET), 00:30 (IST)
Venue: San Mamés, Bilbao
ATH vs MUN Match Preview
Athletic Club took a step closer to their dream of winning the Europa League on home soil with a 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Rangers in front of the home fans, reaching the semifinal stage for only the third time in their continental football history. The Basque club has been in excellent form at the continental stage and also domestically. Ernesto Valverde's men are hogging the fourth spot in La Liga with five points clear of fifth-placed Villarreal with five games to go. The top five from Spain qualify for the Champions League next season, as the nation has a high coefficient ranking in European competition this season, regardless. However, that does not dampen the motivation for the club to end the season with a European title in hand, having finished second in the League Phase and defeated a side like Roma in the Round of 16. Now, they lock horns with Manchester United in the last four, seeking a first Europa League final appearance since 2012. Coincidentally, Athletic Bilbao also faced the Red Devils on their way to the showpiece, winning both legs with the previous meeting ending 2-1 at San Mames. A similar result at the same venue will do a lot of good for the side that has won all six home games in the competition, conceding just two goals.
Old Trafford witnessed one of the greatest comebacks in Manchester United and European competition history as goals from Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, with Casemiro having a hand in all three, in the final six minutes of extra time secured an outrageous 7-6 victory on aggregate against Lyon in the quarterfinals. That result showed the Red Devils’ determination to have a bite at the only trophy left to be won this season after finishing third in the League Phase and being the only team not to lose a single European game this season. Ruben Amorim is unbeaten in eight continental games as United's head coach, as the side is destined to suffer their worst ever season in the Premier League, languishing 14th on the table, making European success a must to save continental football next season. United have progressed from 14 of the last 15 double-legged ties in the competition, giving them confidence against a solid outfit like Athletic Club in the semis. With the home advantage in the second leg again, the Red Devils will be looking to register a favourable result in Spain, even though their only win in this fixture came in 1957.
ATH vs MUN Recent Form (all competitions)
ATH: DWWLW
MUN: DLWLD
ATH vs MUN Recent Form (Europa League)
ATH: WLWDW
MUN: WDWDW
ATH vs MUN Team News
Star midfielder Oihan Sancet picked up an injury in the league win against Las Palmas, which will keep him out of the Europa League clash. The news is a big blow for Athletic Club, even though they have the rest of the players available.
Meanwhile, Amad Diallo, Toby Collyer and Matthijs de Ligt are closing on a return for Manchester United but won’t be available for the first leg. Altay Bayindir and Ayden Heaven are major doubts for the game, while Diogo Dalot and Joshua Zirkzee have suffered season-ending injuries, joining Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines.
ATH vs MUN Predicted Lineups
Athletic Club
Simon; De Marcos, Vivian, Alvarez, Berchiche; Ruiz, Jauregizar; I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams; Guruzeta
Manchester United
Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
ATH vs MUN head-to-head (all competitions)
Played - 4
BAR won - 3
Drawn - 0
CEV won - 1
ATH vs MUN head-to-head (Europa League)
Played - 2
BAR won - 2
Drawn - 0
CEV won - 0
ATH vs MUN Dream11 Match Prediction
Athletic Club has a strong record at home in the competition, with their solidity expected to frustrate Manchester United’s frontline. The Red Devils will still have an advantage to carry back to Old Trafford, but the Basque club will triumph in front of their fans, which they hope won’t be their last at the venue. We predict a 2-1 win for the hosts.
ATH vs MUN Dream11 Team Top picks
Captain Pick: Bruno Fernandes
Vice-captain Picks: Nico Williams, Casemiro, Garnacho
Our top picks for the ATH vs MUN Dream11 team are Bruno Fernandes with 5 goals & 3 assists and Nico Williams with 5 goals & 2 assists in the Europa League this season.
ATH vs MUN Dream11 Team Suggestion
GK: Onana (Cr - 8, Pts - 244)
DEF: De Marcos (Cr - 7), Maguire (Cr - 8, Pts - 217), Vivian (Cr - 7.5)
MID: N. Williams (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 170), Fernandes (Cr - 9, Pts - 691), Casemiro (Cr - 8, Pts - 321), Berenguer (Cr - 9)
FW: I. Williams (Cr - 9, Pts - 195), Guruzeta (Cr - 7.5), Garnacho (Cr - 8.5, Pts - 360)
Vice-captain: Nico Williams
Captain: Bruno Fernandes
