Manchester United Set Sights On Europa League Glory With Athletic Bilbao In Their Path

‎Manchester United are preparing for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, with only a major setback likely to prevent their progression.

‎Last week, Ruben Amorim’s team traveled from northern Spain with a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg.

‎This strong result puts United in a favorable position to reach the final, which is also scheduled to take place in Bilbao later this month.

‎It was an extraordinary result in a season of ceaseless turmoil at United and the club reverted to type on Sunday, crashing to their 16th Premier League loss of a miserable season at Brentford.

‎United have now suffered their highest number of league defeats in a campaign for 35 years.

‎They are currently 15th in the Premier League, heading for their worst finish since their 1974 relegation, though they are now safe from the drop.

‎Amorim has emphasized his priorities for the rest of the season.

‎He made eight changes to his starting lineup at Brentford, fielding the third-youngest team in Premier League history.

‎Most Important Game Of Their Season

‎”We are losing games in the Premier League, we are fighting for the Europa League, so we need to accept that and to think about Thursday as the most important game for us,” said the Portuguese boss.

‎”Thursday is the most important game. The end of this season is very important.”

‎This season and next hinge on whether United can secure their progress against Athletic. If successful, they could face Tottenham in the final, or possibly Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt, who are 3-1 up after the first leg in London.

‎Winning the competition wouldn’t completely compensate for a disappointing Premier League campaign.

‎However, it would guarantee a place in the 2025/26 Champions League, which could be a financial boon for United. It would also enhance their ability to attract top talent.

‎Meanwhile, former Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim admits that, although winning the Europa League is important, his team isn’t yet ready to juggle the demands of both the Premier League and the Champions League simultaneously.

‎”We know that, but we need to win, and we need to fight to win this competition (Europa League), to give something to our fans, and to go to the Champions League,” he told Sky Sports.

‎”Then we will have time to prepare the team to cope with those two competitions. So, it is a dilemma, but we want to win, of course.”

‎Since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim has had a difficult start at United, with only relegated teams Ipswich, Leicester, and Southampton winning fewer Premier League matches. United’s tally of six wins is among the worst in the league during his tenure.

Bruno Fernandes’ Contribution to the Success

‎Their progress to the verge of the Europa League final is largely thanks to inspirational captain Bruno Fernandes, who netted two goals in Bilbao. The match was also aided by Athletic defender Dani Vivian’s first-half red card.

‎The Portugal international’s 31-goal involvements in 32 knockout-stage appearances in the Europa League (19 goals, 12 assists) are the most of any player in the history of the competition since it was rebranded in 2009.

‎If Tottenham finish the job in Norway and United advance, it will set up the sixth all-English final in the Champions League or Europa League.

Spurs have also endured a turbulent season in the Premier League, currently sitting one place below United, with an eye-catching 19 defeats in 35 games.

However, Ange Postecoglou still has the opportunity to fulfill his claim that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club by securing Tottenham’s first silverware since 2008.

If either English club goes on to win the Europa League, it will mean six Premier League teams will qualify for next season’s Champions League.