Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United Betting Tips, H2H and Predictions

The opener to this year’s Europa League semi-final tale begins on Thursday as Athletic Bilbao take on Manchester United. The Spanish side will host this two-legged affair at the San Mamés Barrie stadium, looking to gain an advantage to build on going into the second leg at Old Trafford.

Key Stats:

• Athletic Bilbao have only lost 3 home games all season
• Athletic Bilbao have the joint-most clean sheets (6) in the Europa League this season
• Manchester United have the highest xG (26.6) in the Europa League this season
• Manchester United have only 2 clean sheets in the Europa League this season

Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United Previews, Form and Players to Watch

Athletic Bilbao head into this tie with only one loss in their last 10 matches in all competitions. Last week the Lions managed to edge past Scottish side Rangers after a 2-0 home second leg decided the aggregate score. They have had some tricky fixtures in the Europa League so far, contesting Roma three times - including a thriller round of 16 tie, which was won with a strong second leg performance. Bilbao’s season in the league has not been much worse either, they currently sit in fourth spot, well on the road to securing a Champions League place for next term.

Nobody has had quite as much drama as Manchester United in this years Europa League. Their quarterfinal match-up against Lyon was one for the screenwriters, as the two legs finished 7-6 when a superb extra time comeback took United through. Furthermore, the Red Devils have already excelled past a Spanish side in the tournament, beating Real Sociedad 5-2 in the round of 16. Manchester United’s season has most certainly been one to forget for those representing the red, although a trophy for Ruben Amorim’s men would really elevate their spirits.

Athletic Bilbao Preview

Athletic Bilbao Predicted Line-Up: Agirrezabala, Lekue, Álvarez, Vivian, de Marcos, de Galarreta, Jauregizar, Williams, Sancet, Berenguer, Sannadi

Nico Williams has sure been on fire in the Europa League this season for Bilbao. The winger has netted five goals and claimed two assists in this year's European campaign, being a key asset to Ernesto Valverde’s men. The 22-year-old found the net twice against Roma in Bilbao’s earlier tie, as well as a goal against Rangers in the quarterfinals so will be looking to take this form into their clash on Thursday.

Manchester United Preview

Manchester United Predicted Line-Up: Onana, Yoro, Maguire, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Dalot, Ugarte, Casemiro, Garnacho, Fernandes, Højlund

Bruno Fernandes has been Manchester United’s saving grace all season long. The Midfielder has 17 goals and 16 assists in all competitions this campaign, with eight of those contributions coming in the Europa League. To add to that, the captain grabbed United’s third goal in the Lyon second leg, as well as a hatrick against Real Sociedad in the round of 16 second leg.

Head-to-Head Stats:

These two sides had a stellar round of 16 clash in the Europa League back in 2012. This fixture was won on aggregate by the Spanish outfit as they caused a second leg upset on home soil. Previous fixtures between these teams are as follows:

• Athletic Club (5)2-1(3) Manchester United - Europa League, March 2012
• Manchester United 2-3 Athletic Club – Europa League, March 2012

Betting Tips

Despite Athletic Bilbao’s expertise in getting clean sheets, Manchester United have certainly known how to find the net in this year’s Europa League. Furthermore, Bilbao have plenty of attacking outlets who have proven their scoring prowess.

For this reason, our betting experts have suggested that Both Teams to Score is the best value tip for this game. Odds on Betfred, Ladbrokes and Coral of 10/11 mean that a £10 stake has the potential to return £19.09!

(Odds are subject to change)

How to Watch Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United: Live Stream and TV Channels

Here is everything you need to know to access the live broadcast of Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League, either on television or through online streaming platforms.

TV Channels:

This fixture is available live on TNT Sports in the UK.

• Date: Thursday 1st May
• Kick Off Time: 20:00 GMT
• Channel: TNT Sports 1

Live Stream Options:

Live streaming of this game is also available online via:

• Discovery+ via subscription

Final Prediction

Athletic Bilbao 2-2 Manchester United

This game will be very tight with both teams finding the net on more than one occasion.