Manchester United take on the visitors in the second leg of UEFA Europa League semifinals. First leg result: 3-0. The match will be played on Thursday, April 8th at Old Trafford (Manchester).
Manchester United have mostly disappointed, but once again found a lifeline in Europe. In 2023/2024, under Ten Hag, a disastrous return to the Champions League ended with a last-place finish in their group, followed by a drop to 8th in the Premier League. Even after Erik was replaced by Rúben Amorim, United have shown little in domestic competitions, regularly setting new unwanted records in the league. The only bright spot has been the Europa League run. Even there, it nearly ended in the quarterfinals — after a 2-2 draw in France, United fell behind by two goals in extra time at home against Lyon, despite having a man advantage. But they mounted a dramatic comeback, scoring three times — including the equalizer and winner in injury time. That rollercoaster win reignited belief among fans, though doubts about their overall form remain. In Bilbao, they’ll need to stay sharp to avoid another late-game crisis.
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Athletic Club continue to progress under Valverde. The Basques are once again thriving under a familiar face in Ernesto Valverde. While they missed out on European football two seasons ago, last season they comfortably finished 5th in La Liga and, more importantly, lifted the Copa del Rey for the first time in 40 years. This season, Williams and company failed to make an impact in the Supercopa and the domestic cup. However, in the league, they've risen to 4th place and are now poised to return to the Champions League — especially since Spain will likely have five representatives next season. In the Europa League, they’ve lived up to expectations as one of the tournament favorites. Alongside Lazio, they posted the best group-stage record, then eliminated both Athletic (presumably a typo or confusion, likely meant “Ajax”) and Rangers thanks to dominant performances in Bilbao. Against Manchester United at San Mamés, they dictated large parts of the game. Still, converting dominance into goals remains their key challenge.
The clubs previously met in the Europa League knockout stage back in 2012. On that occasion, the Basques won both matches. The visitors have little to play for now and should focus on La Liga. In these circumstances, the Red Devils are expected to win again.
Prediction for the match: Manchester United to win.
