Our betting expert has three Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United tips for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League semi-final at Estadio de San Mamés (kick-off, 8.00pm). Scroll down for the analysis behind his selections.
- Athletic Bilbao to win @ 1/1 with bet365
- Under 2.5 goals in the match @ 4/6 with Betfair
- Casemiro to make 2+ fouls @ 11/10 with Paddy Power
Bilbao to continue strong run of form at home
Athletic Bilbao will fancy their chances of winning this year’s Europa League, and with the final of the competition being played at Estadio de San Mamés, there’s reasoning behind their belief.
The Spanish side have only lost once from their last ten matches across all competitions, and with that defeat coming in a narrow 1-0 loss at the hands of Real Madrid, there’s certainly plenty of positives to take.
Athletic Bilbao have only lost once at home in this year’s LaLiga campaign, which is the fourth-best home record in the Spanish top-flight. They’ve won all but one of their Europa League matches in the 2024/25 season, and so they’ll be tough to beat once again on Thursday evening.
They should dominate proceedings against Manchester United, who have been hugely disappointing this term. The Red Devils have only won once from their last seven matches, and find themselves 14th in the Premier League table, which makes for dismal viewing for the Old Trafford faithful.
Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United tip 1: Athletic Bilbao to win @ 1/1 with bet365
- Multiple BC UK Bookmaker Awards winner, including Best Bookmaker
- Attractive promos, including boosted odds & free games
Defences to come out on top
Athletic Bilbao don’t often have many goals in their matches, regardless of the competition they’re playing in.
The Spanish side have had under 2.5 goals in seven of their last eight matches, as well as keeping a clean sheet in six of their last eight, which catches the eye heading into a game with such importance.
Manchester United have struggled to break down some teams this season, and even with the quality they have in attacking areas of their squad, they’re likely to find it tough against a stubborn Athletic Bilbao defence.
Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United tip 2: Under 2.5 goals in the match @ 4/6 with Betfair
- Great Odds & Cash Out feature
- High quality on live-streaming service
Casemiro’s foul count to add up
Casemiro’s discipline has often come under fire from pundits and some sections of the Manchester United fanbase.
The Brazilian midfielder isn’t shy of breaking up opposition attacks through a foul, and we’re expecting him to hit a relatively high number of fouls if he isn’t cautioned by the referee early on.
He gave away two fouls in just an hour of their recent match against AFC Bournemouth, and given the intensity that Athletic Bilbao could play with, it could prove problematic for Casemiro.
With a price of 11/10 available on Paddy Power for the midfielder to make at least two fouls in the match, it’s a price that holds some nice value for bettors this evening.
Athletic Bilbao vs Manchester United tip 3: Casemiro to make 2+ fouls @ 11/10 with Paddy Power
- Power Prices, Wonder Wheel & Acca Insurance among a range of top offers
- Innovative Super Sub offer means bets roll over to the player coming on
