With Manchester United's entire season hinging on Europe, the Red Devils make the trip to the Basque Country to meet Athletic Club for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semifinal matchup.
The Premier League club has effectively punted on domestic play, sitting 14th in the table and without a win in five, with little other than pride to salvage from a wretched campaign. Yet they remain a force in Europe, hoping to salvage an otherwise brutally disappointing season with a continental trophy and qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.
To do so, United must find a way past a formidable semifinal opponent. Athletic sit fourth in the La Liga table, level on points with third-placed Atletico Madrid. They slogged their way through a successful quarterfinal jaunt, advancing past Rangers 2-0 on aggregate thanks to goals from Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams.
For the best chance at finding a way through, Ruben Amorim has rotated his side heavily in league play, which has led to even more negative results in recent Premier League action. However, a late equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund saw them avoid defeat at Bournemouth last weekend, while the nature of their incredible comeback against Lyon in the last round will give them hope of reaching another European final.
The Sporting News runs through the latest team news and injury updates for both sides.
Athletic Club vs. Man United lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
While United have completely bailed on domestic play to focus on Europe, Athletic have not been afforded that same luxury as they battle for a Champions League qualifying place in Spain.
As such, they were dealt a significant blow as vital No. 10 Oihan Sancet went down with a foot injury in the 22nd minute of their win over Las Palmas last Wednesday, leaving him likely out for not only this first leg but probably the second leg as well. Twenty-one-year-old Unai Gomez has been the one to step in for Sancet in the past, and he will likely do so again here.
Otherwise, head coach Ernesto Valverde has his entire squad to work in — one that has had a week of rest given they did not play over the weekend. He has depth on the wing, with Nico Williams, Inaki Williams, Alex Berenguer, and Alvaro Djalo all options out wide.
Athletic Club predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Agirrezabala (GK) — De Marcos, Vivian, Alvarez, Lekue — Jauregizar, De Galarreta — Berenguer, U. Gomez, N. Williams — Sannadi.
Injured: Sancet (foot).
Suspended: None.
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Amorim hoped rotating the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Manuel Ugarte, and Diogo Dalot would have given Man United their best chance of keeping their European campaign alive. Unfortunately, Dalot cropped up with a calf injury anyways, leaving the Red Devils without a key player for this two-legged affair.
The options to replace him at right wing-back are scarce. A report by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News posits that 18-year-old Jayden Kamason could be used to take over for Dalot, although he is more likely to play in the league game at Brentford in between the two legs of the semifinal.
United fans were delighted to see Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt return to training on Wednesday following lengthy absences, but it remains to be seen if either will be available for selection for the first leg.
The rest of those on the sidelines are long-term absentees Joshua Zirkzee, Lisandro Martinez and Toby Collyer.
Man United predicted lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left): Onana (GK) — Yoro, Maguire, Shaw — Mazraoui, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu — Fernandes, Garnacho — Hojlund.
Injured: De Ligt (foot, doubt), Collyer (knock, doubt), Dalot (calf), Diallo (ankle), Zirkzee (hamstring), Martinez (ACL).
Suspended: None.
Athletic Club vs. Man United live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Europa League match across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | TUDN, UniMas | Fubo USA, Paramount+ |
| Canada | — | DAZN |
| UK | TNT Sports 1 | discovery+ |
| Australia | — | Stan Sport |
| India | — | JioTV, Sony LIV |
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