With the Europa League final set to be played at their own stadium, Athletic Club have every reason to believe this could be their year.
But before any dreams of silverware at San Mames can take shape, the Spanish top-flight side will have to get through Manchester United in the semifinal; starting with Thursday night’s first leg in Bilbao.
The Basque side, currently sitting fourth in La Liga, had the weekend off to fully prep for the clash. They’re coming off a 1-0 win over Las Palmas on April 23, with Iñaki Williams scoring early off a setup from Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, are still clinging to hope of salvaging their season. After an epic quarterfinal comeback against Lyon, they drew 1-1 with Bournemouth on April 27 in the Premier League and now shift their focus to Europe.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Athletic Club vs. Man United live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Europa League match in the U.S.:
TV channel: N/A
Live stream: Paramount+
This game is not available for live TV broadcast in English language in the United States. Streaming options are available on Paramount+, which is offering a FREE trial for new subscribers.
What time does Athletic Club vs. Man United kick off?
This Europa League clash takes place at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain and kicks off on Thursday, May 1 at 9:00 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Thu, May 1 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Thu, May 1 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Thu, May 1 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Thu, May 1 | 12:00 p.m.. |
Athletic Club vs. Man United predicted lineups, 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.
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.
Europa League fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Thursday, May 1
- Athletic Club vs. Man United (3:00 p.m.)
- Tottenham vs. Bodoe/Glimt (3:00 p.m.)
