Athletic Club handed major blow ahead of Man Utd clash as key trio out with injury

Bilbao, May 7 (IANS) Manchester United have been handed a major boost as Athletic Club will be without three major players for the second leg of the Europa League semi-final scheduled to be played at the Old Trafford Stadium on Friday (IST).

Head coach Ernesto Valverde named the 24-man matchday squad that will travel to Manchester on Wednesday, which confirmed both brothers Inaki Williams and Nico Williams, alongside the side’s top scorer, Oihan Sancet, will miss the game through injury.

Already trailing by three goals, Athletic need a miracle in the game against the Red Devils, and the absence of the trio creates huge problems for the side.

Sancet, who had missed the first leg as well, has scored 15 goals in the La Liga and is the team’s top scorer this season. Nico Williams broke through to stardom at the 2024 Euros and has been highly sought after by European clubs.

So far this campaign, he has 11 goals and seven assists to his name. Striker Inaki has also been a major source of goals for the side, having scored 11 goals and provided nine assists. He was expected to be the fulcrum of their attack and therefore a major threat to Manchester United defence.

No team has beaten Athletic Club at Estadio de San Mamés in this Europa League season until Manchester United turned up and earned a 3-0 victory with a Bruno Fernandes double, which moved him joint-first in the race for top scorer.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are unbeaten through 13 Europa League games this term (W8 D5), and it would take quite the defeat to prevent them from booking a Europa League final spot as this tie heads to Old Trafford.

Athletic Club matchday squad:

Unai Simón, Agirrezabala, Santos, Gorosabel, Paredes, Yeray, Vesga, Berenguer, A. Djaló, Guruzeta, Núñez, I. Lekue, Ruiz de Galarreta, Yuri, De Marcos, Unai G., Maroan, Jauregizar, Prados, Canales, Adama, Olabarrieta, Rego and Varela.

--IANS

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