Manchester United kept their hopes alive for salvaging the season by securing a spot in the Europa League quarterfinals, while Athletic Bilbao moved one step closer to a dream final on home soil. They advanced alongside top clubs such as Lazio, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Tottenham.
At Old Trafford, United delivered an impressive performance, defeating Real Sociedad 4-1 after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Captain Bruno Fernandes starred with a hat-trick, easing the pressure on manager Rúben Amorim. Despite an early setback when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty for Sociedad, United responded with three second-half goals, capitalizing on their numerical advantage after Jon Aramburu’s red card.
In Spain, Athletic Bilbao overcame a first-leg deficit against Roma with a commanding 3-1 win at San Mamés. Niko Williams played a decisive role, scoring twice to send the Basque club through. Roma’s early red card for Mats Hummels left them vulnerable, and Bilbao took full advantage to seal their place in the last eight.
Meanwhile, Tottenham overturned a first-leg defeat against AZ Alkmaar with a 3-1 victory, while Lazio narrowly edged past Viktoria Plzeň. Eintracht Frankfurt also secured qualification with a dominant 4-1 win over Ajax.
With the quarterfinal lineup now set, the battle for the Europa League title intensifies as teams chase European glory.
