The prospect of an all-Premier League final in the Europa League is now closer to reality after Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United secured decisive victories in the first legs of their semifinal matches. Both English clubs established comfortable leads by halftime and effectively navigated their way to victory. Manchester United defeated Athletic Club 3-0, with key contributions leading to goals from players like Harry Maguire and Casemiro. Meanwhile, Tottenham, with James Maddison influential in attack, overcame Bodo/Glimt with a 3-1 scoreline.
For both Manchester United and Tottenham, success in this competition carries significant importance for their respective seasons, especially given their inconsistent form domestically. Winning the Europa League would represent a major achievement, potentially ending trophy droughts and signalling progress, irrespective of their final Premier League standings.
Europa League Semifinal First Leg Results
- Tottenham Hotspur 3, Bodo/Glimt 1
- Athletic Club 0, Manchester United 3
Harry Maguire`s Notable Contribution for Manchester United
After Alejandro Garnacho`s early goal was disallowed following a VAR review, Manchester United quickly found the opening goal from an unexpected source. Defender Harry Maguire pushed forward effectively, bypassing Athletic Club defenders before delivering a dangerous cross into the penalty area. This cross indirectly led to Manuel Ugarte setting up Casemiro for the crucial first goal, breaking the deadlock in Bilbao.
Athletic Club faced a further setback shortly after, when defender Dani Vivian received a red card for a challenge on Rasmus Hojlund, leaving them with ten men. Bruno Fernandes calmly converted the resulting penalty to double the lead, and then added a third goal from open play just before halftime. Playing with ten men, Athletic struggled to offer a significant threat, leaving them with a substantial challenge to overturn the three-goal deficit in the return leg at Old Trafford.
Tottenham`s Assured Performance at Home
Coach Postecoglou made several changes to his starting lineup, bringing Richarlison into the left wing position in the absence of the injured Heung-min Son. This tactical tweak paid immediate dividends, as the Brazilian provided the assist for Brennan Johnson`s opening goal within the first minute, electrifying the crowd at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Pedro Porro also contributed an assist, linking up with James Maddison as Tottenham largely controlled possession and dictated the tempo of the match.
Bodo/Glimt did manage to pull a goal back late in the game through Ulrik Saltnes, which provides a glimmer of hope for the second leg in Norway. However, Tottenham secured a third goal, restoring their two-goal advantage which offers a much-needed buffer for the away fixture. Acknowledging their defensive vulnerabilities at times this season, Tottenham will approach the second leg focused, despite being in a strong position to reach their first European final since 2019. That final, also held in Spain, was against English opposition, and history could potentially repeat itself, although significant effort is still required to get there.
Looking Ahead
Tottenham will travel to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt at Aspyra Stadium on May 8 for the decisive second leg. The Norwegian side will need an exceptional performance at home to overcome their two-goal deficit. Meanwhile, Manchester United will host Athletic Club at Old Trafford, where they will be expected to complete the tie in front of their home supporters and secure their place in the Europa League final.
Dominic Ashworth