United’s UEL final path: Athletic Club and Spurs dealt substantial injury blows, one player is out for the season

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·5. Mai 2025

United’s UEL final path: Athletic Club and Spurs dealt substantial injury blows, one player is out for the season

Manchester United are putting their full focus on reigning victorious in this season’s Europa League final, held in Bilbao on May 21.

While the Red Devils have one foot in the fixture thanks to their 3-0 first-leg away victory, their display in the quarters against Olympique Lyonnais is proof that nothing is guaranteed until the final whistle is blown. Ruben Amorim will undoubtedly be reminding his men behind the scenes not to be counting their chickens before they’ve hatched.

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To secure their place, a performance akin to what they offered in Spain last Thursday will get the job done at Old Trafford this week.

Athletic Club’s early training session confirms two absentees

The duo were nowhere to be seen during the team’s session on Monday. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

One factor which may make matters slightly easier for the Reds is that, according to El Chiringuito TV, neither Nico Williams nor Oihan Sancet trained with Athletic Club at their base today.

Sancet is the side’s top goalscorer in La Liga this season with 15 goals to his name in 25 appearances. He missed the first leg through injury, but there had been hopes he would return to full fitness in time to feature in the reverse clash. He was also absent from Sunday’s stalemate away to Real Sociedad.

Williams is another key figure who can be a difference-maker for Ernesto Valverde, having scored 11 goals and contributed a further seven assists in 44 outings across 2024/2025. Seven goal contributions came in Europe alone, so the Basque outfit will certainly be sweating over whether he can make the trip to England.

James Maddison hit with injury blow ahead of potential United contest

Maddison’s season has come an abrupt end. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

United’s potential opponents should they make the final are Tottenham Hotspur or Bodø/Glimt, with the former boasting a two-goal lead heading into the second leg at Aspmyra Stadion. The Norwegian underdogs can’t be written out just yet, especially given they’ll have their home crowd rallying them on from minute one on Thursday night.

In the event it is an all-English encounter to battle for the trophy, Ange Postecoglou will be without midfield talisman James Maddison.

Sami Mokbel (BBC) confirmed today that the 28-year-old had sustained a knee injury, and while the severity of the ligament damage is yet to be clarified, there is essentially no chance he recovers in time to play again in 2024/2025.