Bruno Fernandes led Manchester United to a commanding 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night.
The United captain scored twice in a dominant first-half display that put his side in control ahead of the return leg at Old Trafford.
Turning Point: Red Card and Fernandes’ Double
United looked sharp from the start. Alejandro Garnacho had the ball in the net within five minutes, but VAR ruled him offside. Bilbao responded with intent. Alex Berenguer forced a save from Andre Onana, and Inaki Williams missed a clear chance with a header.
Despite that early pressure, United struck first. Harry Maguire surged down the right and whipped in a cross. Manuel Ugarte flicked the ball to the back post, where Casemiro headed it home to make it 1-0 in the 30th minute.
Minutes later, the game changed completely. Dani Vivian pulled Rasmus Hojlund down in the box to deny a clear goal-scoring chance. After a VAR review, the referee gave a straight red card and awarded a penalty. Fernandes converted confidently to double United’s lead.
Just before halftime, the Portuguese midfielder struck again. He collected a clever backheel from Ugarte and slotted the ball past Julen Agirrezabala to make it 3-0. Noussair Mazraoui nearly added a fourth, smashing a shot off the crossbar in stoppage time.
United controlled the second half with ease. Casemiro came close to a second goal, and Fernandes forced another save with a long-range effort. Bilbao struggled to threaten after going down to 10 men.
With the return leg at Old Trafford, United are now in a strong position to book their place in the Europa League final, set for May 21 at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.
Stat Watch:
Fernandes now has 27 goals in the Europa League, matching Romelu Lukaku and trailing only Falcao (30) and Aubameyang (34). His 35 goal contributions this season (19 goals, 16 assists) place him behind only Mohamed Salah (56) among Premier League players.
United’s win also extends their unbeaten Europa League streak to 13 matches, the longest since their 15-game run from 2016 to 2019.
