Athletic Club Faces Uphill Europa League Battle at Old Trafford
Athletic Club’s hopes for a spot in the Europa League final now rest on a knife edge. Coach Ernesto Valverde released his 24-man squad ahead of Thursday night’s do-or-die semi-final second leg against Manchester United, with the Basque side trailing by three goals from the first leg. There’s no hiding from it—overturning a 3-0 deficit at Old Trafford is about as intimidating as it gets.
Valverde’s lineup includes stalwarts like Unai Simón in goal and an eclectic mix of youth and experience, aiming to carve out a bit of Bilbao magic on English turf. The full squad list features Simón, Agirrezabala, Santos, Gorosabel, Paredes, Yeray, Vesga, Berenguer, A. Djaló, Guruzeta, Núñez, I. Lekue, Ruiz de Galarreta, Yuri, De Marcos, Unai G., Maroan, Jauregizar, Prados, Canales, Adama, Olabarrieta, Rego, and Varela. Notably, four first-team regulars are missing due to injury, though Valverde is keeping their names under wraps. That alone has sent the rumour mill spinning in Bilbao cafés and Twitter feeds alike, as fans try to guess who’s out and what it means for the game plan.
The journey itself sets the stage: the squad flew out of Bilbao earlier than most commuters even clock in, leaving at 11:00 AM local time Wednesday and landing in Manchester by lunchtime—hardly the stuff of Champions League glitz, but every bit as serious. Their temporary base, the Hyatt Regency, is just a short drive to Old Trafford, where the tension will hit fever pitch as kickoff nears.
Fan Surge and Valverde’s Big Gamble
Forget home advantage—Athletic aren’t alone in England. A surge of around 4,000 supporters is expected tonight, with fans making the pilgrimage from Bilbao and Basque communities across Europe. For a team that feeds off passion, that travelling crowd could be the energy shot they need at a ground where the odds feel insurmountable.
Valverde, no stranger to high-pressure fixtures, is forced into some tactical improvisation with several key figures sidelined. The absence of those injured players puts more pressure on emerging talents and backup options—guys who maybe didn’t expect to face the Manchester United crowd on a stage this massive. Training in the run-up has been hush-hush, with the boss reportedly hammering home a message of belief and resilience.
With so much at stake, supporters can expect to see Athletic fighting for every ball and not rolling over. A comeback would go down as one of the club’s most legendary European nights. The reality, though, is that Athletic need more than fight. They need goals, and fast. If the Basques manage to score early, nerves in the Theatre of Dreams could start jangling. But Manchester United, no stranger to European drama themselves, will be out to end any hopes of a miracle before they can really start.
This isn’t just a football match—it’s the kind of night that tests every ounce of belief, reputation, and club spirit. You get the sense that Athletic may be battered, but they’re definitely not beaten—at least, not until the final whistle.