Rúben Amorim, manager of Manchester United, admitted that the 3-0 win against Athletic Club in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals was “a very good result” that “nobody expected.”

A turning point in the 25th minute

“The match had two phases — before and after the 25th minute. It changed a lot,” explained the Portuguese coach, pointing out how balanced — and even slightly better — the home side looked until Casemiro's goal around the half-hour mark. Two more goals by Bruno Fernandes before halftime practically sealed the first leg.

In the second half, according to Amorim, the goal was to play more cautiously: “The most important thing is that Athletic barely managed to get a shot on target.” He also praised the veteran players like Casemiro, Victor Lindelöf, Harry Maguire, and Bruno Fernandes, saying, “They’re here for their experience, and these are the games where they have to show it.”

Split focus: Brentford and the return leg

Despite the dominant scoreline, Amorim admitted that if Athletic had taken one of their chances in the first 30 minutes, “the game might’ve played out very differently.” He also noted that in Europe, they’ve had “the luck we’re not finding in the Premier League.”

“After the first goal, we felt more free to play, but now we have to focus on the second leg, because anything can happen,” the coach concluded. “That’s what I’ve told the players: first, focus on Brentford — this Sunday — and then on the second leg against Athletic.”