A Black Night Shatters Athletic's Dream Final

The dream of a Bilbao final evaporated on a black night for Athletic at San Mamés. A mere fifteen minutes of forgettable play, with three goals from Manchester United and Vivian's red card marking the match, turned the Lions' qualification into a chimera, dependent on a miraculous assault on Old Trafford next week.

Everything went awry for an Athletic side that challenged the imposing name of their rival, more for history than present, with a start as intense as the magnificent atmosphere at San Mamés suggested. The Cathedral, adorned with its team just a step away from the Bilbao final, was nonetheless shocked early on, with Garnacho's goal disallowed for the Argentine's offside.

For a moment, the decibels dropped in the Lions' den, but Berenguer's attempt, thwarted by the controversial Onana, redoubled the sound of war drums. An even clearer chance came for Iñaki Williams, who failed to score with a header.

Better from Athletic in the early stages, with another flat version of United, which Lindelof saved on the line after Berenguer's shot from the heart of the English area. Amorim's team, which only the conquest of the Europa League can save from a catastrophic season, barely posed any threat except for a few counters and Garnacho's dribbling. However, the Red Devils still have individual talents, which made possible Casemiro's header into the net after Maguire's cross and Ugarte's headed extension.

At that precise moment, the course of the match changed. Athletic took the blow badly, so much so that the match and the tie became uphill without a solution, with Vivian's penalty, who risked grabbing Hojlund in the local area. The centre-back saw a crucial red card, and a specialist like Bruno Fernandes scored United's second goal from the penalty spot.

Txingurri Valverde, aware that in inferiority the first goal was to prevent the tie from slipping away before visiting Old Trafford, reinforced his team with Gorosabel and Paredes. It was to no avail, as Bruno Fernandes sliced through the red and white defence like a sharp knife, and only the crossbar prevented United's fourth goal on the stroke of half-time, when Lindelof's left-footed shot violently struck the crossbar.

Given the circumstances, Athletic needed a steely mentality not to throw away any chance definitively. The second half became a via crucis for a red and white team condemned to defend despite a result that already made the final a chimera. United smelled blood and could have deepened an already mortal wound in their rival. The post prevented it against Casemiro's header, and Agirrezabalaga did what he could against the onslaught. The silence of San Mamés in the final stretch was the symbol of a broken dream, that of their final, in which their team will not be unless a miracle occurs at Old Trafford.