Sharjah24: Manchester United is close to qualifying for the Europa League final after a convincing 3-0 victory over their Spanish host Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the semifinals.
In the match held at San Mamés Stadium, where the final will take place on May 21, United took advantage of the numerical disadvantage of their hosts after the 35th minute with the red card given to Dani Vivian. They returned from the Basque Country with a significant win thanks to a brace from their captain Bruno Fernandes (37th minute from a penalty and 45th) and a goal from Brazilian Casemiro (30th).
The second leg will take place next Thursday at Old Trafford, where United will seek to build on the strong result achieved on Thursday in order to return to San Mamés and compete in the final for the third time, following their first appearance in 2017 when they won the title and their second in 2021 when they lost to Villarreal.
The Europa League represents a lifeline for the team coached by Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim, as winning the title would allow them to participate in the Champions League next season and salvage their disappointing domestic campaign, currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League after failing to secure a win in the last five matches.
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