MU WINS BILBAO: The "Red Devils" dance, Coach Amorim becomes "Sir Alex 2.0"

Coach Ruben Amorim's smile after MU defeated Bilbao

The Forgotten Speak Out

In the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, MU surprised fans by turning the game around in the second half. After falling behind to a beautiful goal by Mikel Jaureguizar, the "Red Devils" rose strongly with the brilliance of two unexpected names: Mason Mount and Amad Diallo.

Mason Mount, who was once considered a failure due to his injury problems, came off the bench and scored twice in just 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Amad Diallo, who has often been a “redundant” in previous transfer windows and has been a “wounded soldier” this season, tormented the Bilbao defence with his impressive speed and technique.

For Mason Mount, his smooth handling and cool finish against Bilbao seemed to have resurrected him after two years of struggling with injuries. His late goal, when Mount took advantage of a mistake by the Bilbao goalkeeper to score from midfield, was the perfect symbol of the freedom he never had at Old Trafford.

Even RasM.Us Hojlund, who has often been criticized for his inconsistent form, contributed with a goal after an assist from Diallo. And most importantly, Ruben Amorim smiled genuinely for the first time on the sidelines, no longer looking sad and worried.

The match ended with a score of 4-1 in favor of MU (7-1 aggregate score after two legs). Thanks to that, Coach Amorim's team advanced to the Europa League final. Even more noteworthy, the final will take place at 2:00 a.m. on May 22, held right at San Mames, the home stadium of Bilbao Club. This prospect initially seemed unthinkable if looking at the "Red Devils"'s 15th position on the current Premier League rankings.

When faith finds a way out

MU's opponent in the final is Tottenham, a team in an equally dire situation. A notable statistic: Tottenham have defeated MU three times this season (two in the Premier League, one in the League Cup).

The Premier League will have up to 6 representatives participating in the Champions League season 2025/26, after MU and Tottenham both won the right to play in the Europa League final.

However, Tottenham's inconsistent form and thin squad make the upcoming clash a "clash of the outcasts" with the prize being £100m and a ticket to next season's Champions League.

In the next 12 days, MU will have to prepare not only tactically but also mentally. This is the only chance for the "Red Devils" to save the season, reaffirm the club's position and possibly save the seat of coach Ruben Amorim.

For MU, the victory over Bilbao was not just a result. It was also a spiritual liberation. The match at Old Trafford was a rare occasion this season when MU played like a team determined to win, not just to survive.

The impact of Amorim's substitutions was clear. In the 62nd minute, the Portuguese coach brought Mason Mount, Shaw and Amad Diallo onto the pitch, replacing Ugarte, Garnacho and Mazraoui. The substitutes made the difference.

Thanks to that, the "Red Devils" tactical system changed from passive to active attack. People who seemed to have "disappeared from the radar" suddenly became heroes of the Old Trafford team.

"Red Devils" continue to dream

Despite being stuck in the Premier League, MU still maintains an unbeaten record in the Europa League this season. The two victories against Bilbao are also two rare victories for them since the beginning of last month. This detail shows the big contradiction in the form between the domestic and European arenas of the team under coach Amorim.

Before the 60th minute, MU played poorly, the defense made mistakes, the midfield was at a disadvantage. Casemiro received a yellow card, Lindelof missed a header, Hojlund struggled in front of the opposing defender. But everything changed after the 60th minute, when coach Amorim made a series of decisive substitutions. Diallo stirred up the right wing, Mount moved to the left, Fernandes dropped deeper to support Casemiro. From there, the game turned around and the goals kept coming.

United have never come so close to glory this season. But can they repeat this performance in the final? The question remains. The excitement is real, but consistency remains a big question mark.

In the next 12 days, MU will have to prepare not only tactically but also mentally. This is the only chance for the "Red Devils" to save the season, reaffirm the club's position and possibly save the seat of coach Ruben Amorim.

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/the-thao/202505/mu-dai-thang-bilbaovu-dieu-cua-quy-do-hlv-amorim-hoa-sir-alex-20-02f1263/