Manchester United have booked their place in the Europa League final in emphatic style, thrashing a depleted Athletic Bilbao side 4-1 at Old Trafford to complete a 7-1 aggregate victory. After weathering an early storm and falling behind to Mikel Jauregizar’s thunderous strike, United roared back with four unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes, showcasing their firepower and resilience under pressure. What initially looked like a potential banana skin turned into a celebration, as Mason Mount spearheaded the comeback with two goals off the bench.
The first half saw Athletic take advantage of United's disjointed start and capitalize on a defensive mishap. Jauregizar pounced on a loose ball at the edge of the box after Djalo’s blocked shot, whipping it past Onana and into the top corner. With the aggregate score now 3-1, the Basque visitors sensed an opening. Their energy unsettled United, and Garnacho’s missed one-on-one before half-time only added to the unease in the home crowd. However, as the half wore on, the visitors’ failure to grab a crucial second goal would prove costly.
Despite Garnacho spurning further chances and Athletic briefly threatening through Nunez's glancing header that went just wide, United began to assert themselves after the break. Manager Ruben Amorim’s substitutions turned the game on its head. The introduction of Mount, Diallo, and Shaw injected renewed pace and composure into a team that looked on edge for the first hour.
The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute, when Leny Yoro’s clever dribble and lay-off found Mount in space. The midfielder swivelled and guided a precise shot into the corner, restoring United's three-goal aggregate cushion. The goal calmed nerves and sparked a complete collapse from the visitors, whose dream of a home final at San Mamés rapidly slipped away.
Seven minutes later, Bruno Fernandes – always influential – delivered a pinpoint free-kick for Casemiro to glance a header past Agirrezabala. That goal effectively sealed the tie, but United weren’t finished. Amad Diallo, making a welcome return from injury, drove to the byline before cutting the ball back for Rasmus Højlund to tap home his easiest goal of the season. It was Højlund’s reward for tireless running and movement, and a testament to Diallo’s sharpness off the bench.
Then came the crowning moment. In stoppage time, Mount latched onto a poor pass from goalkeeper Agirrezabala, spotting the keeper off his line and launching a sublime lofted strike from over 30 yards out. The ball sailed into the empty net, triggering celebrations around Old Trafford and sealing a memorable 4-1 win on the night.
Statistically, United were more efficient and ruthless in key moments. While they posted an xG of 2.0 to Bilbao’s 0.79, it was the clinical nature of their finishing and the timing of their goals that ultimately overwhelmed their Spanish opponents. Mount’s xG of 0.10 for his wonder goal illustrates just how audacious and unexpected the strike was.
For Ruben Amorim, whose side had faced severe scrutiny after domestic disappointments and a chaotic Europa League quarter-final, this result provided not just relief but optimism. United have now scored more goals in this season’s Europa League than any other team – 31 and counting – and remain unbeaten in the competition.
The Red Devils now look ahead to a showdown with Tottenham Hotspur in the final at San Mamés, which promises to be an all-English spectacle. First, though, they face West Ham in the Premier League this Sunday, where they’ll aim to carry forward this momentum.
Athletic, meanwhile, return to LaLiga duties knowing they must quickly recover from this deflating exit to secure Champions League football for next season. Their run to the semi-finals, admirable given the injuries to key players, ultimately ended in heartbreak.
As the final whistle blew at Old Trafford, the difference in depth, quality, and finishing power was glaring – and Manchester United, once tentative, had become unstoppable.
