Athletic Club v Manchester United: Don't expect a San Mames shootout | OneFootball

UEFA Europa League

Ernesto Valverde has done an excellent job at Athletic Club

A place in the Europa League final is up for grabs, and the importance of that prize could make for a tough watch, writes Kevin Hatchard.

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Athletic Club v Manchester UnitedThursday 01 May, 20:00Live on TNT Sports

Valverde on the hunt for more history

Athletic Club fans had begun to believe that their quest for silverware had become an impossible one. All talk of the Gabarra - the famed river barge upon which Los Leones would celebrate winning trophies - had been banned, lest it act as a curse. Having won the Copa del Rey against Barcelona back in 1984, it took six lost finals and 40 years to deliver that trophy again to the Nervion river. There had also been agony in the 2011 Europa League final, as Athletic were dismissed 3-0 by Atletico Madrid.

Now, history beckons again. Athletic are an aggregate victory away from playing the Europa League final in their own stadium, and coach Ernesto Valverde hopes to make more glittering memories. Valverde was a double winner with Barcelona, but he unfairly carried the can for Champions League collapses against Roma and Liverpool. Without him, Barca declined, and it took them four years to win La Liga again.

This Athletic Club are a triumph of coaching, of organisation. They have the best defensive record in La Liga, they have lost just five of their 33 league matches, and they are on track for the top-five finish that will net a Champions League spot.

The stardust comes from a variety of sources. Euros-winning winger Nico Williams is the most obvious attacking star, but his big brother Inaki has more goals and more assists than him in La Liga this term. Oihan Sancet has rattled in 15 top-flight goals, while the versatile Alex Berenguer has 12 goal involvements in La Liga.

In the Europa League, Athletic have lost just one of their eight league-phase games, and they have seen off Roma and Rangers in the knockout phase. At the atmospheric San Mames they are unbeaten in ten games in all competitions, winning seven of those.

Athletic have been dealt a major blow with news that the free-scoring Sancet is out with a hamstring injury that he suffered in the 1-0 win over Las Palmas at the weekend, but they have no other injury concerns. Cup keeper Julen Agirrezabala will once again play, with Unai Simon making way.

Lyon win was a shaft of light in the gloom

Manchester United are, by any metric, having an appalling Premier League season. Had the bottom three not been so atrocious, the Red Devils might not even be safe from relegation yet, having collected just 39 points from their 34 games.

Manager Ruben Amorim inherited a tough situation, a squad full of disillusioned and underperforming players, including plenty who didn't fit his style of play or his system. While progress in the league is slow but increasingly evident, Amorim has admitted his team has found in the Europa League a far more palatable style of football.

United were unbeaten in the league phase, winning five and drawing three, and they dismissed a struggling Real Sociedad side in the last 16. They made far heavier weather of the quarter-final against Lyon, falling 4-2 behind in extra time against ten men, before scoring three late goals to win 5-4. Athletic Club are unlikely to let them off the hook so easily.

Amidst the angst and the poor displays this season, Bruno Fernandes has been a beacon of light. The Portuguese midfielder has delivered eight goals and nine assists in the Premier League and a further five goals and three assists in the Europa League.

United are without a whole of host of players because of injury, with Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, Toby Collyer and Ayden Heaven all sidelined. Matthijs de Ligt is a doubt for the game with a persistent foot injury.

Don't expect first-leg fireworks

The atmosphere at San Mames will be incredible, but I can see this being a really cagey affair, so backing Under 2.5 Goals appeals at 1.8. Ten of Athletic's last 15 games in all competitions have seen an unders bet land, as have eight of United's last 15.

This is an enormously important match for both sides, and I suspect there'll be some tentative play, and we have two really smart coaches who can organise a team.

Nico and Bruno to test the keepers

Bruno Fernandes has been stepping up for United all season, and he is 8/11 just to have a shot on target here, something he did in both legs of the quarter-final, and something he's managed in eight of his last 12 competitive games.

Nico Williams is the same price to hit the target just once, so we can double up for a price of in the Bet Builder. Williams has had at least one effort on target in eight of his last 11 games for club and country. In the Europa League alone, Williams has struck the target in seven of his 11 starts.

Now read our other Europa League previews here!

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