Athletic Club boss speaks out as top scorer forced off with injury after 22 minutes, ahead of Manchester United semi-final

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United’s Europa League opponents Athletic Club have been dealt a potential blow.

A ridiculous set of Premier League results this season for Manchester United has been offset somewhat by the club’s unbeaten run throughout the Europa League.

Despite matches managed by three different managers, United remained unbeaten through the group stage, and have continued success into the knockout rounds, defeating Real Sociedad and Lyon.

The reward for a magical 7-6 aggregate extra-time win over Lyon is a semi-final against Athletic Club, set to take place in early May.

Athletic Bilbao dealt blow

Manchester United are currently resting up this midweek ahead of a Premier League match-up with Bournemouth this coming weekend.

Athletic Club were in action on April 23, earning a 1-0 victory in La Liga over Las Palmas, which came at a potential cost.

The game saw Oihan Sancet taken on with an injury after just 22 minutes, unable to continue.

Sancet is Athletic Club’s top goalscorer, with 17 goals to his name this season, along with three assists.

He scored a crucial goal in their Europa League quarter-final victory over Rangers, and is now a concern ahead of the Manchester United ties.

Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde admitted he was unsure what the injury meant for the the club ahead of the looming ties with Manchester United.

Speaking post-game via AS, Valverde said: “We hope it’s not serious, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to assess it, it’s a muscular issue.”

The positives for Athletic is this is their final match before the Manchester United clash.

Valverde added: “Eight days until Thursday, and it’s going to be very good for us… We need to recover a little and go all in.”

Athletic won the game 1-0, leading at the time of Sancet’s injury, with Valverde adding: “Oihan’s injury affected us.”

Semi-final dates

Athletic Club host the first leg in Spain on Thursday May 1 at 8pm. The second leg takes place at Old Trafford on Thursday May 8, at 8pm.

The other semi-final takes place between Bodo/Glimt and Tottenham, competing for a final that takes place in Athletic’s stadium in Bilbao.