Manchester United took a commanding 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal, putting them in a strong position to advance to the final. The Red Devils dominated the match from start to finish, with goals from Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and another from Fernandes sealing the victory. Despite the impressive scoreline, the game was marred by controversy surrounding refereeing decisions, with Athletic Bilbao’s manager Ernesto Valverde expressing his displeasure with the officiating.
The first goal of the match came from Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who found the back of the net in the 30th minute. The goal came at a crucial moment, giving United an early advantage in the contest. Just seven minutes later, the Red Devils doubled their lead when Bruno Fernandes converted from the penalty spot after a foul inside the box. With their two-goal cushion, United were firmly in control, but the game took another significant turn early in the second half.
In the 47th minute, Fernandes scored again to complete his brace and put the match out of reach for Bilbao, with the scoreline now 3-0. However, while the match seemed to be following a predictable path, controversy struck with a series of referee decisions that left Valverde frustrated.
The first point of contention came with a red card shown to Bilbao’s Daniel Vivian, who was sent off for a foul on Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund. Valverde was visibly upset by the decision, feeling it was harsh considering the circumstances of the match. As if that wasn’t enough, Bilbao also challenged a handball by Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho but the referee waved away their claims.
However, the most contentious moment came when the referee awarded a penalty to Manchester United, which Fernandes duly converted. Valverde argued that the decision was questionable and felt that the punishment dished out to his team was too severe. The red card, combined with the penalty, left Bilbao struggling, both in terms of numbers and morale. Valverde voiced his frustration, claiming that the referee’s decisions had unfairly influenced the outcome of the match.
“It’s been too much of a punishment,” Valverde said. “Not only by the fact that we went 2-0 down but because we had to play with one man down. We have challenged a handball by Garnacho, but it’s the ref who needs to referee.”
Despite the heavy defeat, Valverde remained determined to keep his side’s hopes alive for the second leg. Athletic Bilbao will have the chance to seek redemption when they host Manchester United at Old Trafford in the return fixture. Valverde will no doubt be hoping for a better performance from his team, one that can potentially overturn the three-goal deficit.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, was cautious despite the comfortable lead. Amorim acknowledged that there was still a long way to go in the tie and warned his players against complacency. He highlighted that Bilbao’s players would be fired up for the second leg, knowing they were facing a mountain to climb. Amorim emphasized that while the first leg victory was crucial, his team must remain focused for the second leg, where anything could happen.
“There is no away goals rule, so anything can change,” Amorim said. “We have to think more about the first 20 minutes than the rest of the game. We struggled a lot at the start, but the goal and red card changed the game.”
The second leg will take place at Old Trafford on May 8, and Manchester United will look to build on their commanding advantage. The winner of this tie will face the victor of the semifinal between Tottenham and Bodø/Glimt in the final, which is scheduled for May 21 at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao. With the game still wide open, both teams will have a lot to play for in the coming week.
