Manchester United are one step from the Europa League final after a ruthless 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, but Harry Maguire isn’t ready to pop the champagne just yet.
In a first-leg semi-final masterclass, Casemiro opened the scoring with a thumping header before Bruno Fernandes took control—slotting home a penalty and adding another from open play. Athletic’s night got worse when Dani Vivian saw red before halftime, leaving the hosts scrambling.
The win wasn’t just emphatic—it was historic. United bagged three first-half goals in a major European knockout away game for the first time since 1966, and no team has ever come back from a 3-0 first-leg home defeat in this competition. That’s 132 out of 132 teams who’ve gone on to qualify. United just became number 133.
Still, Maguire isn’t letting anyone get ahead of themselves. “It’s been a great night… one foot in the final, but it’s still not done,” the captain reminded reporters.
With the second leg at Old Trafford looming, it’s all about staying focused. History is on United’s side—but football isn’t played on paper.
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