Sid Lowe was at San Mamés as United took a huge step towards the final. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Ruben Amorim talks to TNT. “The result is really good … we have to understand also that we struggled a lot … then the goal from Casemiro and the sending off changed the game … we had a little bit of luck that managed to keep us in the game … then any game can change with one situation … we had opportunities to score one more … this is not done … they can do the same thing in Old Trafford because they are really strong … really intense … one sending off can happen in our stadium so we need to be prepared … Harry Maguire is a good winger … [pauses to giggle] … sometimes there are moments in life … Harry had difficult moments … now everything he does is good for the team and we have to enjoy it … we are in the advantage and we have our fans … but this can change, anything can happen … we are confident … we need to be really careful with our players against Brentford … Mazraoui is dead … Patrick [Dorgu] is tired … so we have to manage the players.”
Harry Maguire speaks to TNT Sports. “The first 20 minutes were difficult … we made a few errors … we looked a little bit nervous … we weathered the storm … we were clinical … the tie is not done … we will be focused … I’m sure Old Trafford will be like this place … it was nice to do a bit of dribbling out there … it was a nice feeling … we had chances to get the fourth … maybe we played it a little bit too safe … another big game next week … it’s a great start … we can’t hide away from that … all the pressure will be on us … everyone will expect us to go through to the final … we will prepare well … one foot in the final but it’s still not done.”
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Easy to forget now, but the early stages looked promising for Athletic Club. Iñaki Williams headed over wastefully from close range; Alex Berenguer had one shot turned around the bar by André Onana, and another cleared off the line by Victor Lindelöf. Athletic Club were on top, knocking at the door … then one! Two! Three! Harry ‘Harrincha’ Maguire set up Casemiro’s opener with some inspired wingplay (!), Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty after Daniel Vivian was sent packing for a tug on Rasmus Højlund, Fernandes added another against reeling opponents just before the break, and that was pretty much that. United controlled the second half against ten men perfectly, and should have added to their haul, but a three-goal lead to take back to Old Trafford is beyond their wildest dreams. As a reward for their best performance to date under Ruben Amorim, they should be coming back to San Mamés in three weeks’ time for the final.
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FULL TIME: Athletic Club 0-3 Manchester United
Unless something very strange happens at Old Trafford next week, Manchester United will be returning to Bilbao for the final in three weeks’ time!
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90 min +5: Djaló goes direct, and it’s easy for Onana. That’ll be that.
90 min +4: Sannadi is brought down by Casemiro, 25 yards from the United goal. Maybe 30. Probably a bit too far for a direct shot? But whatever, it’ll be the last chance for Bilbao to snatch a glimmer of hope for the second leg.
90 min +2: Jaureguizar hoicks a cross in from the right. Gomez deflects the ball harmlessly over the bar. Yoro is booked for some indiscretion or other.
90 min +1: Djaló dribbles excitingly into the United box down the left, but he’s soon swarmed and can’t get a shot away.
90 min: Diallo wins a free kick out on the left. Shaw hits it long for De Ligt, who wins a corner. Diallo trots over to take. He tries something intricate with Fernandes that doesn’t pay dividend. There will be four added minutes.
88 min: United continue to press for their fourth. Fernandes crosses from the right. Hojlund flashes a header over the bar.
87 min: Iñaki Williams joins his brother on the bench, making way for Álvaro Djaló.
86 min: United are looking for the fourth that would put this semi-final beyond any doubt. Shaw again cuts back from the left, this time for Fernandes, who flays a poor shot over the crossbar from just inside the box. He should have hit the target at least.
84 min: Shaw reaches the byline down the left and cuts back for Garnacho, who opens his body and sidefoots powerfully towards the top left. Agirrezabala parries. That’s Garnacho’s last contribution to an impressive evening’s body of work, as he’s replaced by Mainoo. Dorgu meanwhile makes way for Diallo.
82 min: Hojlund draws a foul out on the left. Fernandes pulls the free kick across the face of the box for Dorgu, who can’t force his shot through a thicket of players. Athletic clear.
81 min: A pocket of space for Fernandes, 25 yards out. He aims for the bottom right. Agirrezabala palms it away. Dorgu retrieves on the right and cuts back for Casemiro, who swings towards the far post. Garnacho, rushing in, can’t quite connect with a telescopic leg.
80 min: Nico Williams, out on the right, crosses long to … nobody at all. When the ball sails out for a throw, he’s hooked for Gomez.
78 min: Garnacho dribbles with purpose down the left and wins a corner. Fernandes loops it straight down Agirrezabala’s throat.
77 min: Mount is booked for a cynical tap on Sannadi’s ankle. The home fans cheer in irony.
75 min: Dorgu slips a pass down the right for Mount, who has team-mates in the middle but can’t force a cross beyond Paredes, who hooks clear. A good opportunity passes by. United can probably afford it.
74 min: Mazraoui makes way for Shaw.
73 min: Iñaki Williams takes on Dorgu in a footrace down the right. He can’t get a cross in, though. The ball is worked back to Sannadi, who loops a harmless cross into Onana’s arms. The United keeper, that one early save from Berenguer apart, has had nothing to do.
71 min: Nico Williams attempts to turn on the jets down the left but there’s little in the tank. Lindelof picks his pocket with contemptuous ease.
69 min: Sannadi has a rare run at the United back line but runs slap-bang into De Ligt and Yoro.
68 min: Nico Williams dribbles infield from the left but slips when he enters the box. The home fans claim a penalty; the player, not so much.
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67 min: The ten men of Bilbao can’t get anything going. United so comfortable.
65 min: United make their first changes of the evening, swapping out Ugarte and Maguire for De Ligt and Mount. “Harrincha,” offers our pal Rob Smyth. “Doesn’t quite work, does it? Shame, as it’s tickled me, the big galoot!”
64 min: Fernandes whips the corner towards the near stick, where Casemiro whacks a firm header off the right-hand upright and out for a goal kick. A bit more of a glance and that was beating Agirrezabala, who hadn’t reacted in time. If it wasn’t for the woodwork, United would have scored five.
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63 min: Now it’s Casemiro’s turn to take a shy from distance. He goes top right as well, and forces Agirrezabala to tip over the bar.
62 min: A bit of space for Ugarte, 25 yards out. He aims towards the top right but it’s easy for Agirrezabala.
61 min: Garnacho fights to retain possession in the middle of the park and is cleaned out by Álvarez, who goes into the book. San Mamés is a pressure cooker now.
60 min: That’s got the crowd going, if nothing else.
58 min: The check’s over, though. Maguire may well have fouled Sannadi, but the striker had tugged him back first to get in position. And went down far too easily. Having said all that, it’s one of those decisions that could have gone either way. But this is the way it’s gone. San Mamés explodes in annoyance, and someone on the Athletic bench is booked for telling it as they see it.
57 min: Iñaki Williams rolls a pass down the right for Sannadi, who looks to have beaten Maguire in a footrace. The pair come together. Maguire with his arm around the striker. Sannadi goes down. VAR to check for a potential red card for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity!
55 min: Bilbao may have got away with one there, you know. Yuri was a bit hands on from behind and there was a tangle of feet as well. Ruben Amorim made his claim, but not with too much vigour.
53 min: Fernandes slips a pass down the left for Dorgu, who whistles a low cross through the Bilbao box. Hojlund goes over again under defensive pressure, but this time a little too easily, and neither referee nor VAR show any interest in awarding a penalty.
51 min: For the first time this evening, San Mamés has fallen quiet. United have done a proper number on everyone in Bilbao tonight.
49 min: No fast start to the second half from the home side. United look calm and in control. They’ve gone into back-five mode, their attacking work here tonight as good as done. Anything on the counter a bonus.
47 min: A reminder that Bilbao have only shipped ten goals at home in La Liga all season.
Bilbao get their party the second half started. They’ve made another change, replacing Ruiz De Galarreta with Prados.
Half-time postbag. “Athletic apparently going to avoid the pain of a humiliating upset loss in a European final to a Premier League club who had no right to be there in the first place, by doing it in the semi-finals instead” – David Howell
“It seems that Amorim has finally come up with a Plan B: to get Maguire out onto the wing and deliver Beckham-like crosses. Man Utd have been remarkably clinical” – Steven Crawford Grundy
“Until the first goal, Athletic were by far the better side. This may be my neutral’s hope that the tie isn’t over speaking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the ten Basques can shut up shop and maybe nick a goal late on. United can easily let a two goal lead slip at Old Trafford, where they seem more nervous than on their travels. It isn’t over, yet” – Kári Tulinius
Breaking news! The crossbar hit by Mazraoui has just stopped rattling.
Half-time entertainment. Last night’s European action wasn’t too shabby either. Relive it with Max, Barry et al.
HALF TIME: Athletic Club 0-3 Manchester United
United soaked up half-an-hour’s worth of pressure … then bang, bang, bang. What a number they’ve done on Bilbao! A couple of their players tell the referee how they see it. The home fans holler in despair. United already have one foot in the final!
45 min +4: Ugarte cushions a pass into the Bilbao box for Hojlund, who can’t get a shot away but forces a corner. And from the set piece, Mazraoui sends a fierce, curling, rising drive towards the top-left corner … and off the face of the crossbar! So nearly four!
45 min +3: There’s still a lot of noise being made by the San Mamés faithful, who are still four-square behind their team.
45 min +1: The first of four additional minutes comes and goes.
GOAL! Athletic Club 0-3 Manchester United (Fernandes 45)
United are flying! Ugarte splits the home defence with a backheel down the middle. Fernandes is free! He enters the box, draws Agirrezabala, and lifts the ball into the right-hand portion of the net! Wow. United cavort. Bilbao have imploded.
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44 min: Fernandes sends a diagonal chip towards Dorgu, who twists and turns like Harry Maguire down the left and sends a low shot towards the near post. Agirrezabala just about deals with it, but before Gorosabel can hack clear in a panic, the flag goes up for offside.
43 min: Nothing comes of the corner. “Maguire transformed into Garrincha—it could only happen in the land of Picasso and Dalí,” observes our new culture correspondent Justin Kavanagh. “Maybe the bus stopped off at the Guggenheim for inspiration this evening!”
42 min: Dorgu wins a corner down the left. Before it can be taken, Bilbao make a double change. De Marcos and Berenguer are sacrificed for Gorosabel and Paredes.
40 min: The corner’s worked back to Iñaki Williams, who aims for the top-right corner but gets nowhere near the goal. The home fans holler in impotent fury.
39 min: Bilbao need something. United by contrast need to keep it simple. But Lindelof, not for the first time this evening, gifts possession to Nico Williams, who bears down on the United box and takes a shot that’s deflected wide right. Corner.
GOAL! Athletic Club 0-2 Manchester United (Fernandes 37 pen)
Fernandes waits for Agirrezabala to commit, then rolls calmly into the bottom right. United in total control now, and the Bilbao fans are in despair!
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36 min: … but they do complain, and Yuri goes into the book for saying his piece too. The ball might have hit Garnacho’s hand in the build-up, not his hip, but it’s not clear so he’s been given the benefit of the on-field decision. Fernandes waits to take the spot kick.
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PENALTY for Manchester United! And a RED CARD for Vivian!
35 min: The referee draws a TV screen in the air, points to the spot … then draws the red card from his pocket and shows it to Vivian. Athletic livid, but they can’t have too many complaints.
34 min: The referee is told to go over to the monitor. Vivian had his left arm on Hojlund’s shoulder. Hojlund would have connected, six yards out, if he hadn’t been dragged back and felled. This will surely be given as a penalty. And a red card?
32 min: Having completed that smash and grab, United come at Athletic again. Garnacho slips just to the right of the D but manages to trap the ball with his hip, then feeds Mazraoui, who crosses low from the right. Hojlund, lunging for the ball with leg extended, is wrestled to the ground by Vivian, and play goes on. But VAR will surely have a look at this. And indeed that’s the case when play stops. Bilbao could be in bother here, because Vivian had his arm on Hojlund’s shoulder. How much did he tug him back?
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GOAL! Athletic Club 0-1 Manchester United (Casemiro 30)
Maguire channels his inner Garrincha (really) by twisting Jaureguizar’s blood down the right flank. He checks back up the flank, then spins towards the byline again, and crosses. Ugarte flicks on at the near post, and Casemiro can’t miss with his header at the far stick!
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29 min: De Marcos shoves an in-flight Dorgu into touch down the left and is fortunate not to go into the book. It is a free kick, though, and everyone lines up on the edge of the box. Fernandes fails to beat the first man and Bilbao half clear. But United come back, and …
28 min: A bit of space for Berenguer down the right. He looks for Sannadi at the far stick. Sannadi was free, but there’s too much on the cross. A few more sounds of concern from the Bilbao faithful.
26 min: A Bilbao attack breaks down and for the first time there are a few groans from the home support, who haven’t been able to celebrate the early breakthrough they desired. Music to United’s ears. Speaking of fine art, here’s Justin Kavanagh: “I hope United fans get to see Bilbao’s fabulous Guggenheim Museum on their travels. Its oddly ambiguous shape might provide some comfort for those still looking for the artistry within most of the teams that Ruben Amorim has put out this season.”
24 min: Garnacho probes down the right and goes over Yuri’s clumsily hung-out leg. A free kick just to the side of the Bilbao box. Fernandes to deliver … but it’s too high for Casemiro and Sannadi is able to head clear. United will be delighted with their showing in attack so far.
22 min: Sannadi barrels in from the right. Things nearly open up in front of him but United close ranks just in time on the edge of the box.
21 min: United are struggling to play out from the back. But when they do beat the press, they look dangerous piling forward. Casemiro juggles his way out of trouble and sends Hojlund running down the middle. He’s skittled, and from the resulting free kick, sent forward by Fernandes, Maguire wins a header on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. It’s aimless, though. Goal kick.
19 min: Lindelof is the hero here, though! Nico Williams sends his brother Inaki scampering into acres down the right. Inaki pulls back for Berenguer, who aims a shot towards the bottom left. Lindelof kicks off the line and away. A lot of space behind the United defence there.
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17 min: … and with this in mind, United pass the ball around the back awhile. They’ve enjoyed 65 percent of possession so far. All good … but then Lindelof allows his pocket to be picked by Iñaki Williams, and the defender’s fortunate that Williams can’t find Sannadi with a pass infield. Sannadi would have been through on goal otherwise.
15 min: Maguire is clipped by Berenguer near his own box. He takes his sweet time over the restart, a professional move to extract a little bit of energy from the home support.
13 min: Both teams are in a physical mood, both teams are playing at 101 mph. The referee also seems of a mind to let things go. There could be fireworks.
11 min: A huge chance for Bilbao. Berenguer swings in from the left. Iñaki Williams gets in ahead of the entire United back line and flashes a header over the bar from six yards. He should have hit the target at the very least. He probably should have scored.
9 min: Fernandes rolls a pass down the right for the lively Garnacho, who jinks into the box only to run slap-bang into Álvarez. There goes that move. But this is a promising start from United.
8 min: One corner leads to another, then Yuri meets a cross from the left and heads wide right. A bright start in attack by both sides.
7 min: Ugarte is stripped in midfield and Berenguer strides forward. He aims a low drive towards the bottom left. Onana does well to turn it around the post at full stretch.
6 min: Yep, it was clear enough. Garnacho went far too early. Shame for United, who cut Bilbao open with ease. That’s no mean feat, given nobody in the top-five leagues in Europe have let in fewer goals at home than Bilbao. (Their 10 beats Napoli and Forest’s 11, and Liverpool and Torino’s 13.)
5 min: United have the ball in the Bilbao net! Ugarte slips a pass down the inside-right channel to release Garnacho, who enters the box and forces a shot through Agirrezabala and into the goal. But the flag pops up for offside. VAR will double-check, though.
3 min: … but nothing comes of it, Ruiz De Galarreta attempting a shot from distance that bounces apologetically through to Onana.
2 min: Bilbao on the front foot quickly. Nico Williams makes good down the left and looks for his brother Inaki at the far stick. Dorgu is forced to turn it behind for the first corner of the game.
Toss! Slap! Swap! Parp! And then a shrill blast of the referee’s whistle. United get the ball rolling. San Mamés roars. Roar!
The teams are out! Bilbao in their Southampton c.1909 red and white stripes, United in Wembley ‘68 dark blue. A home banner reveals the slogan: UNIQUE IN THE WORLD. We’ll be off once coins have been tossed, palms slapped, pennants swapped, and corporate anthems parped. San Mamés jumping!
Ruben Amorim speaks to TNT Sports. “We are managing the minutes of Luke [Shaw] … also Vic [Lindelof] is playing well … we need to be strong in defence … he is good on the ball … it is everything together … [De Ligt and Diallo] can play but we need to be careful with them … they press really high so we can use our pace behind … we have players to do that, especially Garnacho … we have also set pieces because Bruno can deliver good balls in the box, so we will try everything … we have shown we can win these kind of games … we have to be ready … better than against Bournemouth … in the beginning we were not ready for pressure … so we have to be better in the first minutes.”
Pre-match entertainment. Sid Lowe speaks to Iñaki Williams about a Basque institution that is not only a club, but also a way of life.
Athletic Club finished second in the mega-group, one place behind Lazio, one place ahead of Manchester United. Given Spurs are contesting the other semi-final tonight, and Lazio were knocked out on penalties in the quarters, this table proved to be quite the harbinger on the whole. (For the record, Lazio’s quarter-final conquerors, and Tottenham’s opponents this evening, Bodø/Glimt, finished ninth in the table.)
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lazio | 8 | 12 | 19 |
| 2 | Athletic Bilbao | 8 | 8 | 19 |
| 3 | Man Utd | 8 | 7 | 18 |
| 4 | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 8 | 17 |
| 5 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 8 | 4 | 16 |
Anyway, Bilbao subsequently did for Roma and Rangers, while United have seen off Bilbao’s arch-rivals Real Sociedad and Lyon. And here we are.
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Manchester United make two changes to their starting XI after the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Sunday. Victor Lindelöf and Manuel Ugarte take the places of Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo, who both drop to the bench. Alongside them in the dugout: returning heroes Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt.
Athletic’s star man Nico Williams had been an injury doubt, but he came on as a sub during his team’s 1-0 La Liga win over Las Palmas last Wednesday, and is back in the starting XI tonight. As for the rest of the team, it’s the return of the Las Palmas nine, with the only other player stepping up being goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Unai Simón drops to the bench, while Oihan Sancet misses out altogether.
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The teams
Athletic Club: Agirrezabala, de Marcos, Vivian, Álvarez, Yuri, Jauregizar, Ruiz De Galarreta, Iñaki Williams, Berenguer, Nico Williams, Sannadi.
Subs: Boiro, Canales, Gomez, Prados, Nunez, Lekue, Djalo, Guruzeta, Vesga, Paredes, Gorosabel, Simon.
Manchester United: Onana, Yoro, Maguire, Lindelöf, Mazraoui, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu, Garnacho, Fernandes, Højlund.
Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, de Ligt, Mount, Eriksen, Diallo, Shaw, Mainoo, Amass, Fredricson, Kamason, Mantato.
Referee: Espen Eskås (Norway).
VAR: Per Svärd (Sweden).
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Preamble
These two grand old clubs have very different records in Europe. Manchester United have won six trophies on the continent; Athletic Club of Bilbao are still searching for their first. And yet on the head-to-head, things are much more of a piece. The clubs have met competitively only twice before: in the 1956-57 European Cup quarter-finals, when United overturned a 5-3 first-leg defeat with a 3-0 win at Maine Road, Dennis Viollet, Tommy Taylor and Johnny Berry with the goals under the floodlights that necessitated their playing across the city; and in the 2011-12 Europa League round of 16, Athletic winning home and away to chalk up a 5-3 aggregate victory, Fernando Llorente one of the scorers doing the damage at Old Trafford.
Let’s tot it up, then. One tie apiece. Three Athletic wins to one for United. Ten Athletic goals to nine by United. Could it be much closer? Not really, no. And another goalfest could well be on the cards, because Athletic have won six our of six at Estadio de San Mamés during their run to this Europa League semi-final, scoring 14 times along the way, while United’s carry-on in the previous round against Lyon told you all you need to know about them. This could be great fun, then. Kick-off is at 9pm Basque Country time, 8pm BST. It’s on!
