Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United: Match Preview, Latest Team News and Score Prediction | OneFootball

UEFA Europa League Semi-Final Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United

Athletic Bilbao host Manchester United at San Mamés on Thursday night in what promises to be a fiercely contested UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg. It’s a clash steeped in contrast—tradition versus transition, continuity versus recalibration.

Manchester United, now under the stewardship of Ruben Amorim, arrive in the Basque Country not just seeking a result, but a sense of control—something they’ve rarely managed in the second half of this season. Their comeback victory over Lyon in the quarter-finals, which saw them net three in extra time, was less a tactical triumph and more an adrenaline-fuelled escape. Amorim will be aware that such chaos rarely travels well on the European stage.

On the other side, Athletic Bilbao are enjoying one of their most consistent campaigns in years. Ernesto Valverde’s men sit fourth in LaLiga and have lost only once in their last 10 outings in all competitions. While their defensive solidity is impressive—four clean sheets in that span, including three goalless draws—it also points to a side that sometimes struggles to convert control into clear-cut chances.

Photo: IMAGO

Form, Fitness and Familiarity

This fixture marks the first meeting between Athletic Bilbao and Manchester United since their enthralling encounter in the 2011–12 Europa League, when the Basques knocked out Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in a footballing masterclass. Before that, you’d have to rewind to 1957 for their only other clashes.

Much has changed, of course. Amorim’s tactical ideals are still in their embryonic phase at Old Trafford, and while he has brought structural ideas from his time in Lisbon, consistent execution has been elusive. United haven’t won a match inside 90 minutes since mid-March, a worrying statistic tempered only slightly by their dramatic turnaround against Lyon.

Injury issues continue to haunt the Red Devils, though there are green shoots. Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo returned to training this week, and young Altay Bayindir and Toby Collyer could be surprise inclusions. Diogo Dalot, Joshua Zirkzee and Lisandro Martinez remain unavailable.

Photo: IMAGO

Athletic, meanwhile, welcome back their talisman Nico Williams. The Spain international missed the recent clash with Real Madrid but was on the bench against Las Palmas and is expected to start. “We’ll approach the game with belief and energy,” Valverde noted this week—an understatement given San Mamés’ intensity in continental competition.

Tactical Battlegrounds

In matches like these, details become magnified. United will be wary of the raw pace and directness of Nico Williams, a player whose influence is growing by the game. If he can isolate full-backs in wide areas, he may prove the difference. But with top scorer Oihan Sancet ruled out due to a hamstring issue, the Basques may lack that final-third ingenuity.

United’s hopes may rest on whether Bruno Fernandes can pick the lock. His influence remains vital, especially with Alejandro Garnacho struggling for form and consistency. Amorim, a tactician who favours controlled possession with vertical transitions, might instruct his side to sit deeper and spring forward with intent, trusting Fernandes to provide the creative link.

Photo: IMAGO

This tie feels balanced, though perhaps more out of shared imperfections than mutual excellence.

Prediction: Tight Margins and Tactical Tension

Don’t expect fireworks. The ingredients here suggest caution over chaos: two sides who know they can’t afford early mistakes, especially with a second leg looming at Old Trafford.

Athletic’s compact defence and United’s sporadic attacking rhythm point towards a low-scoring draw. The absence of Sancet limits Bilbao’s offensive punch, while United’s goal threat has become increasingly reliant on moments rather than patterns. In a semi-final context, especially in front of a fervent San Mamés crowd, that’s often not enough to separate sides.

Prediction: Athletic Bilbao 1-1 Manchester United