“Blackout in San Mames” read the front page of the Bilbao newspaper El Correo last Friday.
Iberia had lost power in an unprecedented event four days earlier, then Athletic Club did what few expected: they cut out and lost a home game 3-0.
The accompanying photo of the area around the Basque side’s bench showed a range of emotions, almost all negative. Substitutes bit their fingernails; faces were etched with surprise and disappointment.
The reaction in the stand was the same: they were stunned, dismayed, and disappointed. The only reaction difficult to decipher was that of a fan who had come wearing the head of a lion – the nickname for the team. An injured lion with his arm in a sling, no less.
“The penalty that cost Vivian his expulsion shattered Athletic’s hopes and its fans, who need a miracle at Old Trafford,” was another headline before a full 14 pages were dedicated to the game within the news pages – football matters in Bilbao.
Old Trafford hosts Manchester United’s 10th European semi-final on Thursday evening, the second leg Europa League tie against Athletic Club.
Ruben Amorim’s side have given themselves a huge advantage following their three-goal triumph in the first leg.
Ernesto Valverde’s side, who sit fourth in Spain’s La Liga, were favourites, especially given the extra motivation of the May 21 final being at their San Mames home. Instead, they were floored by three first-half goals inside 15 minutes.
A penalty and a red card for their best defender, Dani Vivian, after 35 minutes was key. Bruno Fernandes, United’s best player, stepped up to make it 2-0 and then swept a right-footed effort in to make it three.
Athletic’s players, fans and officials were furious at the decision. They’re vengeful and know United shipped four goals at home to Olympique Lyon in the previous round in only 38 minutes, two of them when United had 10 men.
Aware too that this United side, a pitiful 15th in the Premier League after a wretched season, are not as strong as the one the Basques beat home and away in 2012.
There are mountains to climb, but this would be the greatest triumph in Athletic Club’s history if they can pull it off.
Weak domestically, United are a different proposition in the Europa League. Fernandes is their outstanding man in league and cup, but Casemiro’s experience has shown in Europe, that of Harry Maguire, too.
Many United fans have already paid for the trip to Bilbao. It’s a risk but they fear even more price gouging from airlines and hoteliers.
The carrier easyJet are charging an average of £759 for a single two-hour Manchester to Bilbao flight on May 20/21, with a return costing £904 the day after the final. Hotels, if not sold out, are averaging £1,500 per night for a double room.
As expected at this stage of the season, both teams have injury worries. There was surprise on Wednesday when the Basques announced their 24-player travelling party.
Top scorer Oihan Sancet and the suspended Vivian’s exclusion was expected; the absence of the Williams brothers, Inaki and Nico, was not. The four could easily be considered Athletic’s best players, but perhaps their emphasis has shifted.
Reaching the Uefa Champions League, which a top-five finish in La Liga would guarantee, is a big deal, but Real Betis – inspired by Manchester United loanee Antony – are chasing the pack down and sit only a point behind fifth-placed Villarreal and four behind Athletic Club with four games to play.
Ernesto Valverde’s side face a difficult final four league games against Alaves, Getafe, Valencia and Barcelona. They have distractions while United don't.
United have mainly defensive injury worries. Lisandro Martinez is out, Matthijs de Ligt limped off in the latest league defeat on Sunday, Diogo Dalot and Ayden Heaven have been sidelined too. In attack, Joshua Zirkzee remains unable to play.
The last time United played a European semi-final in front of fans at Old Trafford, Celta Vigo came from Spain in 2017, having lost the first leg 1-0 in Galicia.
They were the better team at Old Trafford and gave United a late scare in a 1-1 draw. The cushion is greater this time, the United team is not.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%202%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Soudal%E2%80%93Quick-Step%20-%2018%E2%80%9911%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20EF%20Education%20%E2%80%93%20EasyPost%20-%201%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Ineos%20Grenadiers%20-%203%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classification%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenadiers%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%E2%80%93Quick-Step%20-%20ST%3Cbr%3E3.%20Nikias%20Arndt%20(GER)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%203%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Norway
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Canada
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
RACECARD
%3Cp%3E5pm%3A%20Al%20Shamkha%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(Turf)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E5.30pm%3A%20Khalifa%20City%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E6pm%3A%20Masdar%20City%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E6.30pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E7pm%3A%20Emirates%20Championship%20%E2%80%93%20Group%201%20(PA)%20Dh1%2C000%2C000%20(T)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%3A%20Shakbout%20City%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%202%2C400m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
