Europa League

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Europa League | Semi-Finals | 1st Leg

May 1, 2025 at 8pm UK

San Mames Barria

Athletic Bilbao
vs.
Man Utd

Athletic Bilbao vs. Manchester United: Head-to-head record and past meetings

By Jonathan O'Shea

Published: April 29 2025 | 18:40

Last updated: April 29 2025 | 22:58

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.

Athletic Bilbao will meet Manchester United on Thursday, as the clubs clash in European competition for the first time since 2012.

The teams convene at San Mames for the opening leg of their Europa League semi-final, with United trailing Athletic in the all-time account.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between them.

Wayne Rooney scores for Manchester United against Athletic Bilbao in 2012 © Imago

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 4
Athletic Bilbao wins: 3
Draws: 0
Man Utd wins: 1

Despite their glowing continental record, Manchester United have actually lost three out of four UEFA matches against Athletic Club to date, with their sole 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.

Most 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.

Last four meetings

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)