Manchester United produced a dominant first-half performance to defeat Athletic Club 3-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semifinal clash at San Mamés. The result gives the English side a commanding advantage ahead of the return fixture at Old Trafford next week.
Athletic Club had early chances to take control, with Inaki Williams heading over from close range and Victor Lindelof blocking a powerful shot from Alex Berenguer.
However, the hosts’ momentum quickly faded when Manchester United struck first in the 30th minute. A clever piece of play from Harry Maguire led to Casemiro heading home after a flicked cross.
The match turned further in United’s favour just minutes later. Dani Vivian was sent off after a VAR review confirmed he had fouled Rasmus Hojlund inside the box. Bruno Fernandes calmly converted the resulting penalty to double United’s lead and silence the San Mamés crowd.
Fernandes struck again just before halftime, latching onto a smart flick from Manuel Ugarte to slot in United’s third goal of the evening. The Portuguese midfielder now leads the Europa League scoring charts with seven goals in the competition.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Athletic Club attempted to regroup after the break but failed to mount a serious threat. Casemiro nearly extended the visitors’ lead with a header that clipped the outside of the post, while United continued to control possession and tempo.
With a 3-0 advantage and a clean sheet in hand, Manchester United are in a strong position to reach the Europa League final. Athletic Club will face a daunting task in the second leg at Old Trafford, needing to overturn a significant deficit without their suspended defender, Dani Vivian.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s hopes of avoiding a significant financial shortfall rest heavily on winning the Europa League, with the club’s league form leaving them 14th and unlikely to qualify for European competition through domestic performance.
A Europa League victory is now their only viable path into the Champions League, which co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe estimates to be worth between £80m and £100m. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire breaks down the financial implications, revealing United could earn around £100m through prize money, broadcast income, matchday revenue, and commercial bonuses—even with modest Champions League performance.
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