Manchester United are taking a 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Athletic Club.
All three goals came in the first half with Casemiro opening the scoring and Bruno Fernandes adding the other two.
The United captain’s brace came after Athletic’s Dani Vivian was shown a controversial red card once VAR adjudged him to have fouled Rasmus Hojlund in the penalty area, Fernandes netting from the spot.
The 3-0 win leaves Ruben Amorim and his players in a fantastic position to make the final, where they will likely meet Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur. They beat Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in north London.
At a raucous San Mames, Ruben Amorim’s United side weathered an early onslaught before seizing control of the tie.
Casemiro opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, and the match tilted decisively moments later when Athletic’s Dani Vivian was sent off for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund, leading to a penalty calmly converted by Bruno Fernandes.
The United captain added a second before the break to cap a ruthless spell.
Despite the emphatic win, Amorim urged caution. “They have to think about the second leg,” the United head coach said. “The first 20 minutes were really tough, and anything can change—there are no away goals anymore.”
United, languishing in 14th in the Premier League, remain unbeaten in Europe.
Athletic boss Ernesto Valverde described it as a “very bad result” and criticised the officiating.
The Spaniard contested the penalty incident, suggesting Alejandro Garnacho handled the ball in the buildup. “It’s been too much of a punishment,” Valverde said, lamenting both the second goal and the red card that followed.
