Second-half substitute Mason Mount scored two sensational goals as Manchester United thrashed Athletic Club to book their place in the Europa League final and set up a meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.
Athletic scored first through Mikel Jauregizar’s brilliant curling finish to give them hope of turning around a 3-0 deficit from the first leg, but Mount’s first goal killed the tie, before Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund add close-range finishes late on.
And Mount capped off the performance with a remarkable goal as he fired home from around 50 yards with Athletic keeper Julen Agirrezabala off his line.
United will meet Tottenham in Bilbao on 21 May after Spurs saw off Bodo/Glimt in the other semi-final. Follow live reaction from Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao below.
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Man Utd vs Athletic Bilbao: Latest Europa League updates
- Manchester United beat Athetlic Bilbao to set up Tottenham final in Europa League
- Spurs through after overcoming Bodo/Glimt to reach final under Ange Postecoglou
- Ange Postecoglou: ‘Man United-Tottenham final will upset people but I don’t care’
- Ruben Amorim compares plight to Ange Postecoglou: ‘We are both struggling’
- When is Tottenham v Man United? Europa League final date, kick-off time and how to watch
Six English teams to play in Champions League thanks to Man United-Tottenham final
09:36
,
Jamie Braidwood
There will be six English teams in next season’s Champions League after Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur made it through to the Europa League final.
The Premier League started the season with four Champions League qualification spots, but a fifth was added due to the overall performance of English teams in this season’s European competitions.
United and Tottenham are not in a position to qualify for the Champions League through their Premier League standing, with United 15th in the table and Tottenham 16th, so an additional spot will be created for the Europa League winners.
'All or nothing' for Manchester United, says Ruben Amorim
09:02
,
Jamie Braidwood
Ruben Amorim felt Manchester United's fighting spirit helped mask their weaknesses as Mason Mount inspired a comeback victory against Athletic Bilbao to help set up an "all or nothing" Europa League final against Tottenham.
The Red Devils overcame a slow start to win 3-0 at a stunned San Mames and did so again having stuttered in Thursday's semi-final second leg at Old Trafford, where Mikel Jaureguizar brilliantly put Ernesto Valverde's visitors ahead.
Substitute Mount settled nerves in the 72nd minute with a fantastic turn and finish, with Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund scoring before the United midfielder wrapped up a 4-1 victory with a stunning strike from distance.
"It was a good result," United head coach Amorim said. "I think if you look at both games it was so much tougher than if you look just to the result.
"We have so many (areas of) weakness and you can understand that in the game, but we are fighting and we managed to pass (through). I think we deserve, if you look at two games, to be in the final."
Uefa confirm Europa League final stance with Manchester United to play Tottenham
08:32
,
Jamie Braidwood
The Europa League final in Bilbao will not be moved with Manchester United to face Tottenham Hotspur.
An all-English final gives two of the Premier League’s underperforming teams a chance to save their seasons and gain direct access to next year’s Champions League. United are in 15th place in the Premier League and Tottenham, who have not won a trophy since 2008, are 16th.
How to get to Bilbao for the Europa League final – without spending a fortune on flights
08:17
,
Simon Calder
Bilbao is likely to be full of English football fans on Wednesday 21 May. Northern Spain’s largest city is hosting the Europa League final, where Manchester United will play Tottenham Hotspur.
It will be the third time two English teams have competed in the final in the competition, with United defeating Athletic Club and Spurs overcoming the challenge of Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals.
With both United and Spurs leading after the first legs, many fans had already booked flights to Bilbao on the assumption their team will be playing in the final in the San Mames Stadium at 8pm on 21 May.
Fares have surged, even though easyJet has laid on extra flights from London Gatwick and Manchester. Flying out on 20 May, easyJet is charging £772 one-way from London Gatwick to Bilbao. On the day of the match, the price is £100 higher.
Ange Postecoglou: ‘Man United-Tottenham final will upset people but I don’t care’
07:56
,
Jamie Braidwood
Ange Postecoglou said “a lot of people” will be upset by Tottenham facing Manchester United in the Europa League final but the Spurs manager added that he did not care with his side now one win away from ending their 17-year trophy drought.
Spurs and United have endured miserable seasons in the Premier League, with Postecoglou’s team 16th in the table and Ruben Amorim’s side 15th, but the winner in Bilbao will gain qualification to the Champions League.
Tottenham have not won a trophy since 2008 and Postecoglou hit back at those who were trying to “diminish” their potential achievement, responding to former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s comments that it would be wrong for the Europa League winners to enter the Champions League.
Ruben Amorim compares plight to Ange Postecoglou: ‘We are both struggling’
07:36
,
Jamie Braidwood
Ruben Amorim said he sympathised with upcoming Europa League final opponent Ange Postecoglou, acknowledging both managers are “struggling”.
Amorim’s Manchester United will play Postecoglou’s Tottenham in the Europa League final on May 21, offering both sides a chance at silverware and a route into the Champions League after dismal Premier League seasons.
Spurs have beaten United three times this season but Amorim said both teams, and managers, will go into the final with a similar perspective.
Amorim credits Mount for super-sub role
01:19
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Thursday was a particularly sweet evening for Mount, who has endured all manner of injury setbacks since his big-money move from Chelsea to United in July 2023.
Put to Amorim he had a massive smile on his face when the England international struck from distance, he said: "Not just me. If you look at the bench, that is the best thing.
"That is the best feeling as a coach when we look at the other guys on the bench, and they are so happy for Mason Mount because everybody in that dressing room sees Mason Mount doing everything he can to be available.
"He's a really good player and you can see both goals are really, really good goals."
Amorim: 'Ange and I are both struggling'
Friday 9 May 2025 00:48
,
Lawrence Ostlere
The Europa League final sees the sides 15th and 16th in the Premier League standings go head to head, offering both the chance to save their seasons with silverware and Champions League qualification.
Spurs have already beaten United three times this term and Amorim is hoping it will be fourth time lucky.
"Every game has its history," Amorim said. "So, we lost the three last games, we can win this one.
"So, if you look at the odds, we are closer to win than to lose. Both teams are going to play like all or nothing in this in this kind of game. It's quite similar.
"The position of the coach is quite similar. I know that Ange (Postecoglou) has one more year. It is different the context, but we are struggling, both of us.
"So, I don't know what is going to happen - that is a good thing and a bad thing with this team. I never know. I will try to prepare the game, but I think we are improving.
"If we have more solutions... and you can see that we can take (Alejandro) Garnacho that gives us the speed the transition for Amad (Diallo), and to have that possibility can help us to win games.
"Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, all these players we can choose from these players, and to prepare a final in a better way.
"We have to understand that it's a final. It's completely different from Premier League games."
Amorim hails United's fighting spirit
Friday 9 May 2025 00:27
,
Lawrence Ostlere
"It was a good result," United head coach Amorim said. "I think if you look at both games it was so much tougher than if you look just to the result.
"We have so many (areas of) weakness and you can understand that in the game, but we are fighting and we managed to pass (through). I think we deserve, if you look at two games, to be in the final."
Amorim hails United's fighting spirit
Friday 9 May 2025 00:08
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Ruben Amorim felt Manchester United's fighting spirit helped mask their weaknesses as Mason Mount inspired a comeback victory against Athletic Bilbao to help set up an "all or nothing" Europa League final against Tottenham.
The Red Devils overcame a slow start to win 3-0 at a stunned San Mames and did so again having stuttered in Thursday's semi-final second leg at Old Trafford, where Mikel Jaureguizar brilliantly put Ernesto Valverde's visitors ahead.
Substitute Mount settled nerves in the 72nd minute with a fantastic turn and finish, with Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund scoring before the United midfielder wrapped up a 4-1 victory with a stunning strike from distance.
The 7-1 aggregate semi-final triumph flattered the Red Devils, who will now return to Bilbao to take on fellow Premier League strugglers Spurs in an mouthwatering all-English final on May 21.
When is Tottenham v Man United?
Thursday 8 May 2025 22:38
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou’s sides battle for the trophy and a place in next season’s Champions League at the San Mames in Bilbao later this month.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Ruben Amorim solves Athletic problem to send Man Utd into Europa League final
Thursday 8 May 2025 22:27
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Ruben Amorim had wondered which Manchester United would show up. In the space of another remarkable European night at Old Trafford, two did. A passive, error-prone team were dismal for an hour. Then an inspired finish sent a side who looked to be stumbling and blundering their way into the Europa League final instead surging to it. Amorim’s schizophrenic side could yet end a historically bad season on a genuine high.
Read Richard Jolly’s full report from Old Trafford:
Full-time: Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Club (7-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 22:01
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Here’s that remarkable Mason Mount goal:
MASON MOUNT WHAT A GOAL!
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 8, 2025
He drives the ball from just beyond the halfway line to get his second of the evening
@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/LNAt0fQT4B
Mason Mount speaks
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:57
On his second goal: “As I’ve seen him [Athletic goalkeeper] come out, I had it in my head to shoot. I just tried to get it on target. Same as the first one, just instinctive to turn and hit it.”
Mason Mount speaks
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:55
,
Lawrence Ostlere
“It’s been difficult since I’ve been here. I’ve had the injuries and the setbacks, but I’ve always stayed positive, and obviously tonight it’s paid off. A brilliant performance from all the lads.”
Full-time: Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Club (7-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:52
,
Lawrence Ostlere
A great night for Amorim’s team.
Manchester United will meet Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
GOAL! Manchester United 4-1 Athletic Club (Mount, 90 min) (7-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:51
,
Lawrence Ostlere
What an extraordinary goal this is. Agirrezabala comes out of his goal and scuffs a clearance to Mason Mount, who takes a touch before shooting at goal from perhaps 50 yards out, with his left foot, and the ball arrows over a defender and into the empty net!
Ruben Amorim laughs and applauds.
Manchester United 3-1 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:48
,
Lawrence Ostlere
United will be playing Tottenham in the final, after they saw off Bodo/Glimt tonight:
GOAL! Manchester United 3-1 Athletic Club (Hojlund, 85 min) (6-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:45
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Leny Yoro zooms upfield with the ball at his feet and plays it to his right, where Amad Diallo dribbles to the byline and cuts a low cross into the six-yard box. Rasmus Hojlund is waiting there to tap home, and United are cruising.
Manchester United 2-1 Athletic Club (5-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:41
,
Lawrence Ostlere
82 min: Casemiro is subbed off to a standing ovation, and Kobbie Mainoo replaces him. Harry Amass also comes on, replacing Victor Lindelof.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Athletic Club (Casemiro, 80 min) (5-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:39
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Bruno Fernandes whips the free-kick in towards the front post and Casemiro manages to steer the ball into the far corner with a glancing blow off his shoulder.
Manchester United 1-1 Athletic Club (4-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:37
,
Lawrence Ostlere
79 min: Unai Nunez is booked for tripping Bruno Fernandes, and Berenguer is booked too after fuming over Mount’s strong tackle a moment ago. The home fans cheer.
Manchester United 1-1 Athletic Club (4-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:36
,
Lawrence Ostlere
77 min: Mount snaps through Berenguer to win the ball, fairly, and the Athletic midfielder stays down as United launch an attack.
Manchester United 1-1 Athletic Club (4-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:33
,
Lawrence Ostlere
75 min: Old Trafford is rocking now.
'Amorim's changes worked'
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:32
,
Senior football correspondent Richard Jolly at Old Trafford
Mason Mount set up the winner in a Champions League final. Now he may have scored the goal to take United to a Europa League final. Amorim's triple change has worked.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Athletic Club (Mount, 72 min) (4-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:31
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Brilliant by Mason Mount, who Cruyff-turns in the box before bending a beautiful finish into the far corner! Delicious skill.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:29
69 min: Lindelof gets himself in a mix-up backtracking towards his own goal and almost gifts a chance to Athletic, but his teammates are back quickly to clear up the danger.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:23
,
Lawrence Ostlere
65 min: Ooof, so close! Unai Nunez bends a header towards the far post and it bounces just wide of Onana’s goal, with the keeper beaten.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:22
,
Lawrence Ostlere
62 min: Three changes by both sides. For United, Mount, Amad and Shaw replace Garnacho, Ugarte and Mazraoui.
Athletic’s De Galaretta, Gorosabela and Djalo are replaced by Prado, De Marcos and teenaged winger Olabarrieta.
'United are penned in'
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:19
,
Senior football correspondent Richard Jolly at Old Trafford
It's all Athletic. They have been relentless at the start of this season half. It's a huge effort, even if, so far, they are only one third of the way to wiping out the three-goal deficit. But United are penned back, making many an error and lacking control.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:17
,
Lawrence Ostlere
58 min: Casemiro is booked for late lunge, though he might blame his teammate Dorgu who sold him horribly short with a slack pass.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:16
,
Lawrence Ostlere
56 min: Berenguer’s corner is cleared away but Athletic come again, and they win another corner after Jauregizar’s shot is blocked. Ruben Amorim looks nervous and he begins gesturing to his subs.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:13
,
Lawrence Ostlere
53 min: United fans are making a real racket as they try to lift their team, but on the pitch their players are not offering much. Athletic look the more likely to score right now...
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:09
,
Lawrence Ostlere
50 min: Berenguer unleashes a shot from range but it’s blocked by Yoro.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:07
,
Lawrence Ostlere
47 min: Athletic are enjoying plenty of the ball in these opening minutes. United look a bit rudderless at the moment.
Kick-off: Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:04
,
Lawrence Ostlere
46 min: We’re back on at Old Trafford.
Half-time: Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 21:03
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Speaking on TNT Sports at half-time, Paul Scholes is critical of Alejandro Garnacho for wasting a fabulous one-on-one opportunity, chipping the ball wide rather than dribbling around the goalkeeper.
“Too often he makes the wrong decisions,” says Scholes.
Half-time: Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:58
,
Lawrence Ostlere
It’s not been a classic match, but there was one brilliant moment in it. A closer look at Mikel Jaureguizar’s beauty:
Half-time: Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:48
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Athletic lead on the night. Game on.
'It's not mission impossible any more'
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:45
,
senior football correspondent Richard Jolly at Old Trafford
Mikel Jaureguizar has shown Bilbao have plenty of attacking talents beyond the absent trio of the Williams brothers and Oihan Sancet. This is still a big ask but it doesn't quite feel impossible anymore.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:44
,
Lawrence Ostlere
41 min: Dorgu feeds Garnacho running through on goal, but the winger dinks the ball wide when perhaps he should have dribbled around the goalkeeper. A huge chance wasted.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:40
,
Lawrence Ostlere
38 min: Athletic’s goalscorer, Jauregizar, stamps on Ugarte’s foot and gets booked.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:39
36 min: United have steadied the ship, for now. A counter-attack produces a good opportunity for Patrick Dorgu, arriving at the back post, but his close-range shot is blocked.
Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:35
,
Lawrence Ostlere
33 min: Athletic’s fans are bouncing and their players have got their tails up now. United need to ride out this storm.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Athletic Club (Jauregizar, 31 min) (3-1 agg)
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:33
,
Lawrence Ostlere
What a goal this is! Harry Maguire gives the ball away near the edge of his own box and it falls to Mikel Jauregizar, who hits a delicious curling shot which starts outside the post and bends back inside the right post. A beauty.
'No alarms so far'
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:31
,
senior football correspondent Richard Jolly at Old Trafford
Athletic have made most of the running, but then they have to. Alex Berenguer has made a bright start, as he did last week. Yet United have had few real alarms and that shows the scale of the task for Bilbao to get at least three goals. So far, United have been organised, with plenty of players behind the ball.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:26
,
Lawrence Ostlere
23 min: Mazraoui is booked for a strong challenge on Sannadi, after he threw a bit of elbow into the aerial duel.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:24
,
Lawrence Ostlere
19 min: Patrick Dorgu goes down in the box under a bit of a clumsy challenge, and United want a penalty. But after a long VAR check, the game continues.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:18
,
Lawrence Ostlere
15 min: United’s first real chance of the game comes from the free-kick. Maguire feeds Bruno Fernandes in the No 10 role, who turns and slides a throughball into Garnacho, but the winger takes a heavy first touch and allows Agirrezabala to rush out and shut down the attack.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:16
,
Lawrence Ostlere
14 min: Maguire is fouled in the middle of the pitch in a tussle with Sannadi. United are yet to really get going in this game.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:13
,
Lawrence Ostlere
11 min: Yoro gives away a foul against Berenguer on Athletic’s right wing and the visitors have a promising set-piece... but Onana comes out and punches the free-kick clear.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:10
,
Lawrence Ostlere
8 min: The first clear chance of the game falls to Athletic. Berenguer is teed up in the box but he bends his effort over the bar from close range. A big waste.
'Surely even United can't let this slide'
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:09
,
senior football correspondent Richard Jolly at Old Trafford
It is safe to assume the Athletic fans bought their tickets before their dispiriting first-leg defeat but they have travelled to Manchester in their thousands. There will, in all probability, be a Mancunian invasion of the Basque country in a couple of weeks but, as Ruben Amorim admitted yesterday, he isn't always sure which United will turn up. But surely even they cannot let this lead slide.
Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:05
,
Lawrence Ostlere
3 min: Smoke from the pre-game pyrotechnics is lingering over the pitch like a cloud as the game gets going. United have a free-kick on the right which Bruno Fernandes attempts to swing towards Harry Maguire at the far post, but it flies too far and over his head.
Kick-off! Manchester United 0-0 Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:03
,
Lawrence Ostlere
1 min: They’re under way in what is a brilliant atmosphere. Athletic are wearing blue shirts and shorts with white socks.
Manchester United v Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 20:01
,
Lawrence Ostlere
A rousing rendition of “United Road” rings out around Old Trafford...
Manchester United v Athletic Club
Thursday 8 May 2025 19:50
,
Lawrence Ostlere
A few images ahead of kick-off at Old Trafford this evening:
Amorim warns United players to stay focused
Thursday 8 May 2025 19:38
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Asked if he knows which United will turn up on Thursday, Amorim said: "It's hard to say, and sometimes it's not what kind of team we will be tomorrow.
"Sometimes even during the game we are one team, something happens and we lose our mind a little bit.
"But we are improving the way we play, we are more confident and we are ready to face this challenge."
An all-English final against Tottenham is on the cards should they overcome Bodo/Glimt, giving the sides in 15th and 16th place a chance to win a continental trophy and progress to the Champions League.
"In the end of this season, we can be the worst (United) team in Premier League history with a European title, so it will not change nothing," Amorim said.
"We know that this season was really disappointing for everybody. Nothing is going to change."
Amorim warns United players to stay focused
Thursday 8 May 2025 19:26
,
Lawrence Ostlere
"If you look at our season, anything is possible, so we have to understand one goal can change anything, the momentum of the game," Amorim said.
"One sending off, you saw it a week ago, so we are prepared to fight to win the game not thinking about the result.
"Of course that matters and the way we are going to do things, especially when we start the game, but of course we are thinking about winning the game."
Athletic face an almighty challenge, but United have lost 3-0 at Old Trafford on three occasions this term.
"We have to face the game as one more game," Amorim said of the approach. "I feel that we need to score to go to the next round, so that is clearly the way we are going to face the game.
"Brentford, we are near the draw, but we suffer a goal and another one quite fast. That can happen.
"That happened four times here in Manchester United, so we will have to suffer a little bit to go to the final. We are ready to suffer and we need to be better in the small details."
Amorim warns United players to stay focused
Thursday 8 May 2025 19:15
,
Lawrence Ostlere
Ruben Amorim is not taking progress to the Europa League final for granted as he admitted Manchester United have a tendency to "lose our mind a little bit" when the going gets tough.
The United boss believes his side need to score in Thursday's semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao despite boasting an authoritative 3-0 lead.
The Red Devils enjoyed one of their greatest ever European away days last week as Casemiro's header was complemented by a Bruno Fernandes brace after Dani Vivian's red card at a stunned San Mames.
All 133 teams in the competition's history to have scored three or more goals away from home in the first leg have progressed, with odds of 40-1 on absentee-hit Athletic reaching the final in their home city underlining the task at hand.
But there is little chance of Amorim's men becoming complacent, especially given United are enduring their worst campaign of the Premier League era and escaped with a jaw-dropping comeback against Lyon in the previous round.