The Manchester United followers in the away end bellowed ‘Cause United are going to Bilbao’. Many of them will have booked planes and hotels already.
It is Spanish sides that are supposed to have a love affair with the Europa League. This United cannot get enough of it.
They have plundered 15 goals in five knockout ties. United are a different beast in the Europa League and they reserved their most accomplished performance against the tournament favourites in their own back yard.
Spanish teams have been responsible for United’s last six knockout losses and that streak is set to stop against the team that promises they are ‘never gonna stop’. The rendition of Amorim’s chant sounded more factual than hopeful. On this evidence, he is turning things around and United may yet have a glory day in May.
Amorim was still demanding in the 75th minute, still prone to crouching down. Last season, United threw away two-goal leads in Copenhagen and Istanbul. Coventry recovered from 3-0 down in that farcical FA Cup semi-final. For all this team’s flaws, they are not as chaotic and the 3-4-2-1 set-up provided a solid structure for United to protect their advantage in the second half.
It was a public holiday in Spain on Thursday, International Workers’ Day. Athletic have their work cut out to play the final at their stadium. They imploded.
Athletic never recovered from Casemiro’s opening headed goal. United kept their heads while Athletic lost theirs. Daniel Vivian’s blatant tug on Rasmus Hojlund was retrospectively deemed a penalty and worthy of expulsion by referee Espen Eskas.
Bruno Fernandes clutched the ball and paced around the penalty area. He displayed similar equanimity with his spotkick before advising the Athletic fans to calm down. They did not. They screamed blue murder at the official in blue as he walked off at the interval.
Casemiro’s renaissance remains confined to the Europa League. His form mirrors the team’s and, whatever the summer may hold for the 33-year-old, he has used the platform of these knockout ties to remind observers that the Saudi Pro League would be beneath him.
Harry Maguire’s parents were among the last to arrive as the United family members sat in front of the press box. They did not miss his threatening cross that was flicked on by Manuel Ugarte and turned in by Casemiro.
This has possibly been Maguire’s best season for United. His added-time equaliser in Porto all the way back in October spared United of defeat and they are now 13 games unbeaten in the Europa League. Maguire’s father punched the air jubilantly after Fernandes slotted in to make it 3-0.
For Fernandes, it is a second 20-goal season for United. He has known for months that the Sir Matt Busby statue will remain part of his interior decor but Fernandes has always been driven by club honours.
It was a perfect European away result for United. The first 30 minutes were far from perfect. Bilbao is perhaps the most football-centric of the Spanish cities and it was heaving with Athletic fans of all ages throughout the day. Almost all of them were clad in red and white shirts.
Before kick-off, Athletic unfurled a banner that billed them as ‘unique’. All four stands were decorated by a red-and-white mosaic. As consequential as this tie is for United, the incentive of hosting the final for Athletic was overwhelming. Emotions got the better of them.
Southampton and Sunderland have both claimed responsibility for Athletic’s colours. Athletic played like an English team with 11 men. United have found their feet in the Europa League against sedate or obliging opponents yet Athletic pounded them in the first 30 minutes.
Ugarte flanked Amorim at the pre-match press conference and highlighted the physical difference between playing in the Premier League and the Europa League. After a sloppy start, he rallied with dexterous assists for Casemiro and Fernandes.
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