Ath Bilbao vs Manchester Utd prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-04-30 19:00.
[p]The final of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) will be held at Athletic Club’s San Mamés, so the only thing standing between the Lions and home advantage in the final is a semi-final showdown with Manchester United. Ernesto Valverde’s men already saw off British opposition in the quarter-finals when they dispatched Rangers, and they hold H2H supremacy over the Red Devils (W3, L1).[/p]
[p]That includes wins in both previous home meetings, while they were also victorious in both legs the last time these sides clashed in 2011/12. Athletic went on to reach the final of the UEL that season, and will be confident of doing so again having won both of their previous UEFA semi-finals, while they also boast a 100% winning home record in this season’s competition (W6), scoring 14 and conceding just twice in the process.[/p]
[p]Manchester United visit the Basque country having suffered more than their fair share of heartache against Spanish opposition in recent years, suffering elimination at the hands of a La Liga side in ten of their previous 15 European campaigns! Ruben Amorim’s men are becoming accustomed to defying logic this season though, remaining unbeaten in Europe (W7, D5) despite languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.[/p]
[p]Their most head-spinning performance of the campaign came last time out in this competition, firing in three goals in seven minutes – including two from the 120th minute onwards – to complete a miraculous comeback against Lyon to reach this stage. That marked a 14th win from 15 two-legged ties in the UEL to advance to an 18th European semi-final (W8, L9), where United may fancy their chances having lost just one of their last nine visits to Spain (W5, D3).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Athletic winger Nico Williams is in line for a first start since returning from injury after scoring four times in their last three UEL home matches, two of which were first-half match openers. On target at the weekend, Rasmus Højlund has seen a third of his nine goals for United this term come in UEL away matches, with the previous two arriving after half-time.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Just one of Manchester United’s last 63 European games ended goalless.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher[/i][/p]