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by Kennedy Kechula in Europa League Predictions
This Thursday, Manchester United will be back at Old Trafford after three straight matches on the road. They will be up against Athletic Bilbao in the return leg of their Europa League semi-final. Below we have a prediction for the match. At the end of the return leg, the winner on aggregate will get to face either Bodo/Glimt or Tottenham Hotspur in the final.
Manchester United gave themselves an edge in this fixture with a thumping 3-0 win in the first leg. The Red Devils are unbeaten in this competition this season and have won all their last five at home.
Athletic Bilbao have a huge mountain to climb if they wish to feature in the final, which will be staged at their home stadium. They have three defeats in the Europa League this season and will find it tough away in England. Can the Spaniards overturn this, or will United, on the back of a tough season, advance to the final?
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The Best Betting Odds for Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao Match
| Bookmaker | 1 | X | 2 | Bonus up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.8 | 3.75 | 4.33 |
|
|
1.83 | 4 | 4.2 |
|
|
1.83 | 3.5 | 4.2 |
|
|
1.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 |
|
|
2.1 | 2.5 | 4.2 |
|
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What is the prediction for the football match between Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao?
Our prediction for the Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao match is: Manchester United wins the match.
Probabilities according to our algorithm* of possible 1X2 football predictions and best odds for the match on 08/05/2025 between Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao in Europa League :
- The Sportytrader ⭐ algorithm estimates a probability of 43.03% for a win of Manchester United against Athletic Bilbao with odds of 2.1 at Ladbrokes.
- The probability according to Sportytrader ⭐ for a draw between Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao is 37.02% with odds of 4 at Betfred.
- Our prediction model gives a 19.95% chance ⭐ for a win of Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United with odds of 4.7 at Vbet.
Manchester United - Athletic Bilbao Prediction and Best Odds:
| Manchester United Athletic Bilbao Prediction | Probability | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester United wins | 43.03% | 2.1 at Ladbrokes |
| Under 2.5 | 60.41% | 1.97 at 22bet |
| Both Team To Score | 35.42% | |
| Half-time: Draw / Full-time: Manchester United | 23.12% | 5 at Betfair |
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Form
Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao Last Matches
2/6 (33%)
1/6 (17%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
4 May 2025 - Premier League
1 May 2025 - Europa League
27 Apr 2025 - Premier League
20 Apr 2025 - Premier League
17 Apr 2025 - Europa League
13 Apr 2025 - Premier League
2/6 (33%)
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
20 Apr 2025 - Premier League
17 Apr 2025 - Europa League
6 Apr 2025 - Premier League
13 Mar 2025 - Europa League
9 Mar 2025 - Premier League
2 Mar 2025 - FA Cup
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
4 May 2025 - Premier League
1 May 2025 - Europa League
27 Apr 2025 - Premier League
13 Apr 2025 - Premier League
10 Apr 2025 - Europa League
1 Apr 2025 - Premier League
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
4 May 2025 - LaLiga
1 May 2025 - Europa League
23 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
20 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
17 Apr 2025 - Europa League
13 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
4/6 (67%)
1/6 (17%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
1 May 2025 - Europa League
23 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
17 Apr 2025 - Europa League
13 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
30 Mar 2025 - LaLiga
13 Mar 2025 - Europa League
1/6 (17%)
3/6 (50%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
4 May 2025 - LaLiga
20 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
10 Apr 2025 - Europa League
6 Apr 2025 - LaLiga
16 Mar 2025 - LaLiga
6 Mar 2025 - Europa League
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Stats: Head to Head (H2H)
1 May 2025 - Europa League
Manchester United - Athletic Bilbao: Form Analysis
Manchester United did themselves a major favor in the first leg with a big win in Spain. A brace from skipper Bruno Fernandes added to a Casemiro opener to complete an impressive first half rout.
In preparation for the return leg, Ruben Amorim rested a number of his key men in the 4-3 loss to Brentford. This defeat wasn’t a surprise, as United have been poor in domestic action all season.
The Red Devils are 15th in the league, and all hopes for Europe next season are based on their performance in this competition.
Manchester United are unbeaten in their 13 Europa League matches this season.
Athletic Bilbao have multiple routes to feed their European football ambitions. They are fourth in La Liga, with Spain set to produce five teams for the Champions League next season.
The visitors may better start planning for that, as their deficit coming here is too big. A tough evening at the San Mames Barria saw Dani Vivian sent off in the first half as they went on to concede three first half goals.
Athletic Bilbao’s mission is made even harder by the fact that they haven't been scoring a lot lately. In the last four games, they netted just once. In 13 Europa League matches, Bilbao have suffered three defeats.
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Manchester United against Athletic Bilbao Lineups: Starting 11
Formation : 3 - 4 - 3
Formation : 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Missing players
L. Martinez
A. Heaven
D. Dalot
ForwardJ. Zirkzee
O. Sancet
Manchester United & Athletic Bilbao Squad Analysis
Manchester United received a big boost in the return to fitness of Amad Diallo. The winger featured from the bench in the last two matches and looked ready for a start here.
His weekend goal against Brentford will massively boost his confidence. The Ivorian has two goals in the Europa League. United’s star man will, however, be skipper Bruno Fernandes.
The midfielder has 10 goal contributions in this competition so far, that is, seven goals and three assists.
The hosts could be without the services of Matthijs De Ligt. The influential defender made his first start after a month on the sidelines but only lasted 35 minutes before being forced off.
Athletic Bilbao’s Dani Vivian is suspended after his first leg red card.
Athletic Bilbao have massive injury concerns ahead of this game. Nico Williams missed the draw with Real Sociedad and also failed to train on Monday. He is expected to undergo late tests to ascertain his readiness.
With Athletic Bilbao in need of goals, the man with seven goal contributions will be severely missed. Along with his elder brother, Inaki Williams, he is the team’s leading scorer in Europe with five goals.
The visitors would also love to have Oihan Sancet back, but the man with 17 goals this season is still out with a hamstring injury.
Most goals and assists
Manchester United
Athletic Bilbao
B. Fernandes
(17 Goals)
O. Sancet
(17 Goals)
B. Fernandes
(16 Assists)
I. Williams
(10 Assists)
,
A. Berenguer
(10 Assists)
Manchester United - Athletic Bilbao Key Points
- Athletic Bilbao are winless in their last four outings.
- Athletic Bilbao failed to score in three of their last four matches.
- Manchester United are unbeaten in 13 Europa League matches.
- Athletic Bilbao have lost three of their 13 Europa League games.
- Manchester United won each of their last five Europa League home fixtures.
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Our Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction
Manchester United have the upper hand coming into this game and will be more relaxed this time than in their quarter-final return leg. They learned their lesson and went for a comfortable win in the first leg.
It will be very tough for visiting Athletic Bilbao to come back from the heavy loss, as they are also grappling with suspension and key injuries. It has particularly been tough for them in their recent away matches. Our prediction for Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao is that Manchester United wins the match.
Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao - Other Interesting Predictions
Both teams to score
Athletic Bilbao have struggled a bit in attack ahead of this game and actually failed to score in their last four away matches. However, faced with a must-win situation here, they will put some more effort into attack, which could yield at least a goal.
Manchester United will not sit back either, seeing this as the chance to enhance their advantage. Our second prediction for this match is for both teams to score.
Last Minute: Pre-match odds analysis Manchester United Athletic Bilbao
| Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao | Opening odds | Pre-match odds | Odds Movements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United wins | 2.2 | 1.8 | -18.2% |
| Draw | 3.4 | 3.75 | +10.3% |
| Athletic Bilbao wins | 3.2 | 4.33 | +35.3% |
After kick-off, the latest odds movements show that:
- Manchester United is most likely to win
- The odds for this bet have decreased by 18.2% since opening
- The probability of this result was 45.5% and is now 55.6% (10.1%)
Use £/€50 free bets for the Manchester United vs. Athletic Bilbao game!
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Manchester United vs Athletic Bilbao match : Frequently asked questions
The Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao match will be played on Thursday 8th May.
The Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao match will be played at Old Trafford.
The Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao match will be televised on Telefonica for Spanish audiences, and on TNT Sports for viewers in the UK. SportyTrader will also have the match updates available via the Europa League Livescores portal.
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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