Manchester United brought Athletic Club’s impressive unbeaten home run to an abrupt end on Thursday night, securing a dominant 3-0 win in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final clash at the Estadio de San Mamés.

Bruno Fernandes was the star of the night, netting twice to give United a commanding lead, while Casemiro opened the scoring in the 30th minute. Athletic Club, who had not lost at home since August, were reduced to 10 men in the first half, a turning point that further tilted momentum in United’s favour.

Harry Maguire, in an unusual attacking role, created the opener with a skillful run down the right flank. His cross found Manuel Ugarte, who flicked the ball on for Casemiro to head past the goalkeeper. Fernandes added two more before the break, sealing one of United’s most emphatic away performances in European competition.

LAGOS EYE NEWS reports that this was the first time since the 1965-66 European Cup quarter-finals against Benfica that Manchester United scored three first-half goals in an away game during the knockout stage of a major European competition.

Managerial Reactions

United manager Ruben Amorim, speaking to TNT Sports, praised his team’s performance but remained cautious:

“The result is really good, but we have to understand the game at the same time. We struggled at the beginning and the sending off changed the dynamic. This isn’t over—they’re strong and intense, and can come back at Old Trafford.”

He also acknowledged the impact of experienced players in calming nerves:

“Manuel Ugarte was a little nervous, so was Patrick Dorgu. But players like Casemiro, Harry Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes helped a lot.”

Bruno Fernandes Reflects on ‘Unbelievable’ Night

Captain Bruno Fernandes expressed his delight after the final whistle:

“You can never predict a scoreline like that. Very tough team, the atmosphere was crazy. The result for us was unbelievable. We controlled the game well, and that is good for the second leg.”

The return leg will be played at Old Trafford next week, with United looking to secure a place in the Europa League final.