Manchester United took a commanding step towards the Europa League final with a 3-0 away victory over 10-man Athletic Bilbao, while Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to the showpiece with a 3-1 first-leg win over Bodo/Glimt.
At a raucous San Mames, Ruben Amorim’s United side weathered an early onslaught before seizing control of the tie. Casemiro opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, and the match tilted decisively moments later when Athletic’s Dani Vivian was sent off for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, leading to a penalty calmly converted by Bruno Fernandes. The United captain added a second before the break to cap a ruthless spell.
Despite the emphatic win, Amorim urged caution. “They have to think about the second leg,” the United head coach said. “The first 20 minutes were really tough, and anything can change—there are no away goals anymore.”
Amorim admitted it was United’s best result since his arrival in November, but stopped short of calling it their best performance. “There were two games today – the first 25 minutes and the rest,” he said, noting the red card shifted the balance. “We were cautious and limited their chances. That was really important.”
United, languishing in 14th in the Premier League, remain unbeaten in Europe. Amorim cited luck, context, and confidence as key differences between their domestic and continental form.
Athletic boss Ernesto Valverde described it as a “very bad result” and criticised the officiating. The Spaniard contested the penalty incident, suggesting Alejandro Garnacho handled the ball in the buildup. “It’s been too much of a punishment,” Valverde said, lamenting both the second goal and the red card that followed.
Spurs slice through Bodo
In North London, Tottenham also took a significant step towards the final, dispatching Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt 3-1. Brennan Johnson scored after just 38 seconds, with James Maddison and Dominic Solanke adding goals before Ulrik Saltnes pulled one back late for the visitors.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou praised his team’s composure and tactical execution. “Our performance was everything it needed to be – disciplined, calm and effective,” he said. “We know what Bodo are like at home, but if we repeat this next week, we’ll get through.”
Postecoglou, who faced Bodo’s artificial pitch while managing Celtic, acknowledged the difficulty of the return leg. Injuries to Maddison and Solanke – both substituted as precautions – will be closely monitored.
Bodo manager Kjetil Knutsen took heart from Saltnes’ late goal, insisting his side remain in the fight. “It gave us energy and changed the mood,” he said. “We’re not favourites, but we will go for it.”
The return legs take place next Thursday, with United and Spurs in pole position to meet in the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21.
