Manchester United secured their place in the Europa League final with a commanding 4-1 victory over Athletic Club at Old Trafford, completing a 7-1 aggregate win that offers a glimmer of hope in an otherwise disappointing season.
Despite their struggles in the Premier League, where they sit 15th, United showed their European pedigree after entering the match with a comfortable 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Bilbao. Athletic briefly threatened a comeback when Mikel Jauregizar capitalized on Harry Maguire’s poor clearance to score a spectacular long-range strike in the 31st minute.
However, substitute Mason Mount turned the tide with a clinical finish in the 72nd minute, followed by Casemiro’s powerful header seven minutes later. Rasmus Hojlund added a third before Mount capped off his impressive performance with an audacious long-range effort in stoppage time after spotting the Athletic goalkeeper off his line.
“It was too long [waiting for a night like that],” Mount reflected after the match. “I carried on going, working hard in training every day and tried to stay positive and when I had an opportunity to try to make an impact. Today it paid off and I came on and affected the game.”
The result sets up an all-Premier League final against Tottenham Hotspur on May 21 at Athletic’s San Mames Stadium, offering United a chance to repeat their 2017 Europa League triumph and, crucially, secure Champions League qualification for next season.
Manager Ruben Amorim remained focused on the task ahead: “In this moment, I am just worried about the next game, trying not to get injuries for the final. We need to win it. If we don’t win it, it means nothing for us.”
This European run provides a stark contrast to United’s domestic form under Amorim, who has struggled to implement his tactical vision consistently in the Premier League. The Europa League represents their only remaining path to salvage something from a turbulent campaign that has seen them fall well short of expectations following significant investment in the squad.
