Manchester United vs. Athletic Bilbao: Head-to-head record and past meetings
Ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash between Athletic Bilbao and Man Utd, Sports Mole looks at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two clubs.
Well-placed to seal a their spot in the Europa League final, Manchester United take a three-goal first-leg advantage into Thursday’s second-leg clash with Athletic Bilbao at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils, who sit 15th in the Premier League table after losing 4-3 at Brentford last weekend, are hoping to reach their third Europa League final and first since losing in the showpiece event on penalties to Villarreal in 2019-20.
Meanwhile, Athletic drew 0-0 with Real Sociedad in La Liga last time out and they travel to England still harbouring hopes of reaching the Europa League final for the first time since losing to Atletico Madrid in 2011-12.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
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Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 5
Athletic Bilbao wins: 3
Draws: 0
Man Utd wins: 2
Despite their glowing continental record, Manchester United have actually lost three out of five UEFA matches against Athletic Club to date, with their first win coming way back in February 1957.
That home success in the second leg of a European Cup quarter-final saw the Red Devils overturn a 5-3 deficit to win 6-5 on aggregate at Manchester City’s Maine Road – the floodlights were damaged at Old Trafford.
Then, some five decades later, the pair were drawn together again, this time in the Europa League’s last 16.
Though Wayne Rooney bagged a brace, second-half strikes by Fernando Llorente, Oscar de Marcos and Iker Muniain saw the Basque club triumph 3-2 in England, before a 2-1 home win sealed their progress.
Under maverick coach Marcelo Bielsa, who got the better of United’s legendary boss Alex Ferguson in both legs, Athletic eventually reached that season’s final but could only finish runners-up.
More recently, a 2023 friendly was set to produce another victory for the La Liga side, as rising star Nico Williams seemed to have scored the winner, before Facundo Pellistri netted an 89th-minute leveller in Dublin.
Then, in the first leg of their 2024-25 Europa League semi-final, United stunned San Mames with a 3-0 victory, inflicting Athletic’s heaviest home defeat for five years.
Casemiro headed home the opener before more drama unfolded five minutes later: Dani Vivian was sent off and Bruno Fernandes subsequently converted a spot kick. The Red Devils’ skipper added his second soon after, effectively wrapping up a memorable away win.
Last five meetings
May 01, 2025: Athletic Bilbao 0-3 Manchester United (Europa League Semi-Final)
Mar 15, 2012: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Manchester United (Europa League Last 16)
Mar 08, 2012: Man Utd 2-3 Athletic Bilbao (Europa League Last 16)
Feb 06, 1957: Man Utd 3-0 Athletic Bilbao (European Cup Quarter-Final)
Jan 16, 1957: Athletic Bilbao 5-3 Manchester United (European Cup Quarter-Final)
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