By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Manchester United head coach, Rúben Amorim, has urged his players to remain focused ahead of their Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Club, despite a commanding 3-0 first-leg victory in Bilbao.
Speaking to TNT Sports following the match at San Mamés, Amorim acknowledged the historic nature of the result but warned that the tie is far from over.
“We had the chances to score one more, but this is not done,” he said. “The same result can happen at Old Trafford, and we need to be prepared.”
United’s win marked only the third time since August that a visiting team has won at San Mamés, and it equalled Athletic’s heaviest home defeat in over a decade. The result puts the Premier League side in pole position to reach the final—set to be played at the same stadium later this month—where they are likely to face Tottenham Hotspur.
The match swung dramatically in United’s favour after Dani Vivian was sent off for dragging down Rasmus Højlund inside the box. Casemiro opened the scoring with a powerful header, and the visitors capitalized on their numerical advantage with three goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half. However, despite the emphatic lead, United were unable to extend their advantage after the break.
Amorim praised his side’s control but acknowledged that Athletic had threatened early on. “You saw two games today – the first 25 minutes, and then, after the goal and the sending-off, the game changed,” he said. “If they had scored first, it would have been a different game.”
The result keeps United unbeaten in Europe this season—a stark contrast to their Premier League campaign, where they’ve lost 15 of 34 matches. Amorim admitted the team has struggled to manage the demands of both competitions amid injuries and inconsistent domestic form.
“It’s hard, even for the players. But we can win this competition,” he said. “We try to be cautious, and we created chances, but the most important thing is that the opponent didn’t get many shots on our goal.”
Despite their commanding position, Amorim remains wary of a dramatic reversal. Historically, all 133 teams who won a European knockout first leg away by three goals have progressed—yet the Portuguese coach is not taking anything for granted.
