Seven players could miss Man United vs Athletic Bilbao Europa League semi-final

Manchester United and Athletic Bilbao are both struggling with key injury setbacks ahead of their Europa League semi-final encounter as reported by Manchester Evening News.

The first leg is scheduled for Thursday, May 1 in Spain, with the return fixture set for the following week at Old Trafford.

For United, this tie represents their final opportunity to secure a Champions League spot for next season, heightening the importance of the clash.

However, they’ll head into it without several important players. Joshua Zirkzee and Lisandro Martinez are confirmed absentees, having been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to hamstring and ACL injuries, respectively.

Matthijs de Ligt, who has been recovering from an ankle issue, missed training again this week, casting doubt over his availability for the first leg.

Ayden Heaven also remains out with a minor issue, while Toby Collyer may return for the second leg if his leg problem resolves in time. Amad Diallo is nearing full recovery from an ankle injury but is unlikely to be ready in time for the semi-finals.

Athletic Bilbao also face fitness concerns, most notably with star midfielder Oihan Sancet.

The 17-goal playmaker sustained a muscle injury during their recent league match against Las Palmas and is expected to miss at least the first leg

Despite this, the Basque side enters the fixture with fewer worries, as Nico Williams, Yeray Alvarez, and Yuri Berchiche have reportedly overcome their recent knocks.

With the Europa League final set to be hosted at their own stadium, Bilbao has added motivation to push past United and aim for a historic home triumph.