Sports

Europa League: Manchester United Cruise Past 10-man Athletic As Fernandes Scores Twice

Published

5 months ago

May 1, 2025

Editor

Manchester United players celebrate scoring their third goal during the UEFA Europa League semi final first leg football match between Athletic Club Bilbao and Manchester United at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, on May 1, 2025. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA / AFP)

Bruno Fernandes struck twice as Manchester United put one foot in the Europa League final with a clinical away performance to beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on Thursday.

The fervent home fans were enraged when Athletic defender Daniel Vivian was sent off for pulling back Rasmus Hojlund and Fernandes slotted home the resulting penalty, after Casemiro had opened the scoring against the run of play in the semi-final first leg.

Fernandes rolled in a third before half-time as Ruben Amorim’s side moved a step closer to the final, to be held at Athletic’s San Mames stadium.

The hosts have been dreaming of winning a first European trophy on their own soil but their hopes were demolished by United’s professional display in the north of Spain — and Athletic’s supporters argued, the refereeing.

Languishing in 14th in the Premier League, Champions League qualification for United is only possible with a Europa League triumph, as is access to the £100 million ($133 million) honeypot it entails.

Despite regularly crumbling under pressure this season, the Red Devils — who produced a stunning comeback against Lyon in the quarter-finals — first survived and then thrived in a hostile environment.

With May 1 a bank holiday in Spain the streets of Bilbao were filled with red-and-white striped shirts from the morning onwards, with thousands of fans turning up at their team’s hotel to see the Athletic bus set off for the stadium.

The San Mames was rocking, with fans raising red and white cards around the stadium ahead of the game to welcome the players, all of them born or raised in the Basque country, as per the club’s century-long policy.

“This is not the theatre of dreams, this is The Cathedral of football,” it read on the back, a reference to the stadium’s nickname.

Alejandro Garnacho’s early strike gave the hosts a scare but the forward was offside.

Beyond that the early stages of the match for United were about gritting their teeth and holding off the Basque side and their raucous supporters.

– Red card rocks hosts –

Alex Berenguer forced a smart low save from Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, and Inaki Williams headed narrowly over.

Victor Lindelof made a vital block to thwart Berenguer after Nico Williams fed his brother Inaki, who was given too much space on the right wing.

The hosts were ascendant and when former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro opened the scoring for United it came as a shock.

Just as much of a surprise was the way United created the goal, with centre-back Harry Maguire dribbling down the right flank as Mikel Jaureguizar floundered in his wake.

The defender fizzed a cross into the area which Manuel Ugarte flicked on to the back host for Casemiro to nod home from close range.

It seemed like a smash-and-grab but soon United had a second, when Vivian was penalised for pulling back Hojlund as he tried to connect with a cross.

It was a key moment. The defender was sent off to add insult to injury, as Athletic fans howled in anger.

Fernandes rolled the penalty into the bottom right corner, sending Julen Agirrezabala the wrong way.

Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde made a double substitution, trying to stem the bleeding, but his team shipped a third before half-time.

Ugarte’s clever backheel played Fernandes through on goal and he stroked home with ease.

Noussair Mazraoui crashed a shot off the crossbar from the edge of the box as United almost grabbed a fourth before the break.

Norwegian referee Espen Eskas and his colleagues were barracked by the home fans, seeing their aspirations to glory evaporate before their eyes.

They were further enraged, waving the white cards from the pre-match tifo to show their disgust, when Maroan Sannadi tumbled under pressure from Maguire as he ran towards goal but no foul was awarded.

United largely controlled the game in the second half, with Casemiro and Fernandes making life hard for the 10-man hosts, but they could not add a fourth despite probing.

The second leg takes place next Thursday at Old Trafford, ahead of the final on May 21 against Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt.

Sports

Ballon d’Or 2025: Full List Of Winners

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

In a night of celebration and surprises at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony crowned new champions in men’s and women’s football. PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé emerged as the men’s winner, capping off a stellar season that saw him lead his club to Champions League triumph.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí made history by securing the women’s award for the third consecutive year. Here’s the complete rundown of all the major awards from football’s most prestigious gala.

Men’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

The 28-year-old French star beat out fierce competition from Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Dembélé’s pivotal role in PSG’s European success, including key goals and assists, propelled him to the top. This marks his first Ballon d’Or and continues a trend where winners since 2013 have been 28 or older.

Top 5 Rankings:
1 Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

2 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Women’s Ballon d’Or
• Winner: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Bonmatí became the first player to win three in a row, despite Barcelona’s loss in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal and Spain’s defeat to England in the Euro 2025 final. Her standout performances as the best player in both the Euros and Champions League sealed the deal, edging out Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Mariona Caldentey.

Other Major Awards
• Kopa Trophy (Best Young Player, Under 21): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
The 18-year-old wunderkind took home this award without contest, with speculation swirling about his potential for the senior Ballon d’Or in future years. Yamal’s speech humbly acknowledged the bigger prize ahead.

• Yashin Trophy (Donnaruma): Now in Manchester City, however the Italian shotstopper was pivotal during PSG’s quest for its first European glory.

• Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
Honoring their dominant 2024-25 campaign, including Champions League victory. The Paris crowd erupted as DJ Snake presented the award amid chants.

• Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
Recognized for their undefeated run in the Champions League and overall excellence.

• Coach of the Year: Luis Enrique

Highlights and reactions
The evening was a mix of glamour and minor gaffes—think awkward dance breaks and a quirky DJ presentation—but the focus remained on the stars. Dembélé’s win has sparked debates on X and beyond, with fans crediting his team’s support while others lament Salah’s perennial near-miss. “What does Mo Salah have to do?” one BBC commenter quipped.

Bonmatí’s third win cements her as a legend at just 27, though some voices argued for Russo’s dual Euros and Champions League heroics. Real Madrid’s boycott drama from 2024 was absent this year, with their stars like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior attending gracefully despite missing the podium.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: 2025 Women’s Club Of The Year Emerge

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Arsenal Women have been named the 2025 Women’s Club of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony held in Paris on Monday night.

The award comes after a historic season for the Gunners, who lifted the UEFA Women’s Champions League, defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final in Lisbon. Stina Blackstenius scored the decisive goal to hand Arsenal their second European crown.

Beyond their European success, the North London side also impressed domestically, finishin second in the Women’s Super League and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup..

The Women’s Club of the Year award recognises not only on-field success but also the club’s wider contribution to the growth of the women’s game.

Arsenal’s strong development structure, international recognition, and fan engagement were also factors behind their recognition.

Sports

Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

Published

1 day ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned the Best Team of 2025 at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The French champions, who enjoyed a remarkable season both domestically and in Europe, were recognised for their consistency and dominance across competitions.

The French giants enjoyed an extraordinary 2024-25 season, capturing four major trophies: the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France, the UEFA Champions League, and the Trophée des Champions.

They also reached the final of the FIFA Club World Cup, underlining their quality and ability to compete with the very best across continents.

The Best Team award at the Ballon d’Or gala highlights the Parisians’ evolution from domestic dominance to genuine European and global contenders.