Manchester United head into the second leg of their Europa League semifinal sitting pretty, after a 15-minute storm at San Mames left Athletic Club reeling and chasing shadows.
Despite the bruising defeat, the Basque side heads to Old Trafford with nothing to lose and everything to gain—especially after having already stunned United 3-0 earlier this season under the guidance of another Basque boss.
It was a tough pill to swallow for Los Leones, whose promising campaign took a gut punch in record time. Still, there’s a silver lining: before United turned the tide, Athletic carved out two golden chances that could’ve changed the course of the night.
Ernesto Valverde knows his side must come out swinging in Manchester, aiming to chip away at the deficit goal by goal and keep the comeback dream alive.
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.
Man United vs. Athletic Club live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Europa League match in the U.S.:
TV channel: —
Live stream: Paramount+
This game is not available for live TV broadcast in the United States. Streaming options are available on Paramount+, which is offering a FREE trial for new subscribers.
What time does Man United vs. Athletic Club kick off?
This Europa League clash takes place at the Old Trafford in Stretford, England and kicks off on Thursday, May 8 at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Thu, May 8 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Thu, May 8 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Thu, May 8 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Thu, May 8 | 12:00 p.m.. |
Man United vs. Athletic Club predicted lineups, team news
Manchester United face a nervous wait on Matthijs de Ligt, who limped off with a muscle issue against Brentford. The Dutch defender and youngster Toby Collyer (leg) will undergo late fitness tests, while Lisandro Martinez (knee), Joshua Zirkzee (thigh), Diogo Dalot (calf), and Ayden Heaven (ankle) remain out.
Teenage record-breaker Chido Obi-Martin, who recently became the club’s youngest Premier League starter, is ineligible for Europa League duty. That clears the path for Rasmus Hojlund to return up front, supported by Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho.
Amorim is considering starting Victor Lindelof in defense and may deploy Noussair Mazraoui as a right-sided center-back if Amad Diallo, impressive off the bench lately, is handed a starting role at wing-back.
Man United predicted lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left): Onana (GK) — Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro — Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu — Fernandes, Garnacho — Hojlund
Injured: Matthijs de Ligt (Doubt), Toby Collyer, Lisandro Martinez, Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven
Suspended: None.
Athletic Bilbao will be without key defender Dani Vivian, who is suspended after his red card in the first leg. Aitor Paredes is expected to slot in alongside Yeray Alvarez in central defense.
Ernesto Valverde is sweating over the availability of three important names: Nico Williams, Oihan Sancet, and veteran right-back Oscar De Marcos — all of whom face late fitness checks.
If Sancet and Nico are ruled out, Inaki Williams and Alex Berenguer will likely start out wide, with Unai Gomez operating as the playmaker behind either Maroan Sannadi or Gorka Guruzeta. If De Marcos isn’t ready, Andoni Gorosabel is on standby to take the right-back spot.
Athletic Club predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): Agirrezabala (GK) — De Marcos, Paredes, Alvarez, Berchiche — De Galarreta, Jauregizar — I. Williams, Berenguer, N. Williams — Sannadi
Injured: Nico Williams (Doubt), Oihan Sancet, Oscar De Marcos
Suspended: Dani Vivian,
Europa League fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Thursday, May 8
- Man United vs. Athletic Club (3:00 p.m.)
- Bodo/Glimt vs. Tottenham (3:00 p.m.)
