Europa League

IMAGINE if Manchester United could only field players born or raised in the Greater Manchester area.United have always prided themselves on developing their own young stars, from Bobby Charlton and the Busby Babes to David Beckham and the Class of ’92.Manchester United pride themselves on their record of promoting home-grown stars, such as the much-vaunted Class of 92, here with the 1999 European CupCredit: GettyIf United had Athletic Bilbao’s strict selection policy, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane would never have played for themCredit: ReutersBut if they operated under the same kind of rules as Europa League semi-final opponents Athletic Bilbao, then Old Trafford legends like Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney would never have worn the famous red shirt.Athletic proudly stick to a self-imposed rule that they only sign players who meet their criteria for being considered Basque.And that means footballers either born in the region — that straddles northern Spain and south west France — or who have come through their academy or from  youth development programmes at clubs  in the area.The total population of the seven areas that make up the Basque Country is around three million, pretty much the same as Greater Manchester.READ MORE IN MAN UTDYet despite their own restrictions, Athletic are one of the most successful clubs in Spain and will go into tomorrow’s first leg with United as warm favourites.Although their last league title came in 1983-84, their total of eight puts them fourth in Spanish football’s hall of fame behind the Madrid giants and Barcelona.Last season’s Copa del Rey triumph was the 24th in Athletic’s history, second only to Barca’s 32.And they are on course to qualify for next season’s Champions League — even without winning the Europa League, as they sit fourth in LaLiga.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordWinger Nico Williams, 22, is the poster boy for the current generation and a summer target for the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona. His older brother and team-mate Inaki was born in Bilbao in 1994 —  not long after their parents arrived from Ghana.Man Utd wages 2024-25 revealedEight years later, Nico came into the world in Pamplona, the Basque city famous for its annual bull-running festival.Inaki had a year in Athletic’s    academy before starting his senior career at other local teams and rejoining Athletic at the age of 20.Between the years of 2016 and 2023 he played 251  consecutive league games, a LaLiga record.His brother Nico has been at Athletic since he was just 11.Inaki played one senior game for Spain and two for the Basque Country team before committing his services to his family’s homeland of Ghana at senior international levelNico, meanwhile scored the opening goal in the Euro 2024 final as Spain beat England 2-1.Nico Williams (left) and his brother Inaki are Athletic Bilbao’s poster boysCredit: AFPNico William scored Spain’s opener in their Euro 2024 final victory over EnglandCredit: APThe younger Williams brother is thought to be destined to play in the Premier League sooner rather than later.But any English club wanting to buy him would have to cough up.Not only the £51million necessary to trigger the release clause in his contract, which runs until 2027.They would also have to give him a decent rise on his current wages at Athletic, which are said to be in the region of £200,000 per week.Athletic’s Basque-only policy means they do not shell out big money on transfers too often.But it also allows them to pay their best players handsomely.BASQUE TO THE FUTUREATHLETIC BILBAO’S selection policy explained…The club have instilled a “Basque-only” rule – since 1911 – which means not just any footballer can play for the club.The San Mames outfit has stated that every one of their players has to either been born or raised in the Basque Country.Another statement reads: “As an institution, Athletic Club and all its supporters are characterised by a steadfast belief in a set of values which are becoming increasingly uncommon in football and 21st century sport.”Athletic Club takes pride in its own and has a philosophy and way of seeing football that is unique in the world of football.”This ideal is fully reflected in its policy of promoting academy players.”Athletic Club is based in Bilbao, a city situated in Biscay, a province which makes up part of the Basque Country.”The club’s sporting philosophy is governed by a code which states that Athletic Club may only field players who have come through its own academy or the academies of other clubs in the Basque Country, or players who were born in the following territories which constitute the Basque Country: Biscay, Gipuzkoa, Alava, Navarre, Labourd, Soule and Lower Navarre.”You can make a good argument that the Basque nation is among the most  successful in modern football, per head of population.The Basque Autonomous Community in Spain consists of four provinces — Navarre, Biscay, Alava and Gipuzkoa.The latter is the smallest province by area in all of Spain, yet it has produced a large number of top-level players and coaches.Three current Premier League bosses come from the province — Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Bournemouth chief Andoni Iraola – who has been a ‘spy’ for Athletic this week.Also from the area is  Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool star tipped to leave Bayer Leverkusen and take over at another of his old clubs, Real Madrid.Add in one-time Spain, Real and West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui, ex-Barcelona chief Ernesto Valverde, now Athletic’s boss  — and  the list goes on.Alonso, Arteta and Iraola were team-mates at Antiguoko, the junior side from Gipuzkoa that used to beat teams from Real and other big clubs for fun.Despite the the region producing so many good managers, Bilbao’s Basque-only policy does not extend to coaching staff.English managers have included Henry John Bagge, William Garbutt, Ralph Kirby, Ronnie Allen and Howard Kendall.United know all about the virtues of Basque footballers and Athletic.They signed Bilbao-born Ander Herrera from Athletic in 2014 after he was part of the side that beat them home and away in the Europa League last 16 in 2012.Herrera won the FA Cup under Louis van Gaal in 2016.Basque midfielder Ander Herrera joined United in 2014 from AthleticCredit: AFPThat was  before lifting both the League Cup and the Europa League in 2016-17 with Jose Mourinho.United have not known such success since, thanks mainly to wasting hundreds of millions of pounds on players from all over.Read More on The SunMaybe the new regime at Old Trafford should adopt a Bilbao-style recruitment policy for the club which claims to represent the People’s Republic of Mancunia.Man Utd player ratings vs BournemouthBy Katherine WalshMANCHESTER UNITED managed to secure a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bournemouth in the sixth minute of injury time.Rasmus Hojlund’s last-gasp equaliser leaves United 14th in the Prem, after Evanilson was sent off for serious foul play with 20 minutes to go.Man Utd target Antoine Semenyo fired the home side into the lead with a thunderbolt opener, after a calamity of mistakes while playing out from the back.Yet United somewhat responded well, mainly through Alejandro Garnacho’s flurry of chances.So was the Argentine the star player for Man Utd? Check out how the players rated. More

MANCHESTER UNITED have one last chance to give the fans something to cheer about by winning the Europa League this season.But before the Red Devils start thinking about the final, they must first overcome favourites Athletic Bilbao in the semis.Ruben Amorim’s side are eyeing the Europa League titleCredit: GettyMan Utd need to find a way to stop Nico WilliamsCredit: RexThere can be no underestimating the importance of both legs, or the size of the task Ruben Amorim’s side face.With more than seven days’ rest after a weekend off, Bilbao are dreaming of the chance to play the final in their own backyard on May 21.And manager Ernesto Valverde revealed his side are “confident” about ending United’s hopes of securing Champions League football next season.United may feel their name is on the Europa League trophy already after staging an incredible comeback win to knock out Lyon in the quarter-finals.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe stakes are so high going into the first semi-final at San Mames on Thursday night, with United having only won 17 out of 57 games against Spanish opposition since 2000.And while Amorim’s sorry lot somehow remain the only unbeaten side in Europe, the club’s dismal away record in recent years leaves little hope.A win over two legs could set up a final against Tottenham, who face Bodo Glimt in the other semi.But first, SunSport takes a look at the three key decisions that Amorim must make right against Bilbao.Most read in Europa LeagueJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordIsolating Nico WilliamsIt’s fair to say that the name Nico Williams induces fear into even the bravest of Man Utd fans.The Old Trafford faithful thought they were in luck when reports claimed that the Spanish wonder was out injured with a groin issue.Gary Neville reveals fear with Liverpool to become most successful English team everBut the 22-year-old – who has scored five goals in the Europa League this season – has been cleared to play on Thursday.Williams’ biggest threat is his pace and ability to attack space when breaking through the lines.So Valverde typically wants his 4-2-3-1 team to look for opportunities to get Williams isolated and in 1v1 situations against his full-back.As Amorim is devoted to his 3-4-2-1, he needs to find a way to avoid leaving Williams too isolated.The rest of the Bilbao attacking unit will typically be quite narrow and high. This forces the opposition to defend narrow in turn and as such Williams can be released through a diagonal ball into a 1v1 situation.Amorim needs to get his defensive starting line-up right, otherwise Williams will be able to run riot down his side of the pitch.Bilbao play narrow and high, with the intention of forcing the opposition to defend narrow, which in turn leaves space for Williams to be released in behind.With Diogo Dalot a doubt after missing the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Sunday, Amorim can only really count on Noussair Mazraoui to start as the right wing-back.Whoever is chosen to start up against Williams shouldn’t be left isolated in a 1v1 situation.United cannot afford to defend zonally and must have a specific plan for taking care of the threat that Williams can pose.The left winger guided Spain to glory at Euro 2024 and has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.These are the kinds of situations where United have to be careful and where Bilbao will look to exploit space. With no right winger, the wing-back for United has to be more aggressive in stepping out to engage the opposition wing-back. This can lead the the central defender on that side being pulled out and isolated.What about the other Williams brother?Nico’s breakthrough has overshadowed the fact that his older brother Inaki has long been one of the best attackers players at the Basque club.His situation is slightly different in that he chose to represent Ghana at international level as opposed to trying his luck with Spain.In previous seasons, Inaki has played as a No9, but this season he has played more as the right winger on the opposite side to his brother.While Nico plays further out on the left, Inaki positions himself closer to the No10 and striker.While Nico drags players out wide, Inaki will force Man Utd to defend narrow, before driving into the opposition box.Inaki Williams positions himself in a more narrow position as Bilbao are attacking as he has the pace to drive outside the defender on the right-hand sideAgain, this means that United must be really careful who starts as the left-sided centre-back.The most obvious answer would be to suggest that Amorim starts a left-footed defender – and ideally an experienced one too.It would be a natural fit for Luke Shaw, who was arguably England’s best player in the Euro final defeat to Spain.But Shaw didn’t quite look up to speed in his first start in more than 14 months at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.Shaw – who started on the left-hand side of the back three – sent an ill-advised pass to Patrick Dorgu, which invited pressure in the build-up to Antoine Semenyo’s opener.But Shaw did eventually grow into the game and his distribution and crisp crosses into the box offer what others in his position cannot.Luke Shaw can be too aggressive in terms of coming high to win the ball in the opposition’s halfShaw can be almost too aggressive in terms of jumping high and looking to engage to win the ball back in the opposition half. Shaw is certainly, in our opinion, the correct option to deal with the threat of Inaki Williams in this game.The issue will be the lack of cover that Shaw will have if he is pulled in and then quickly outplayed as Bilbao attack forward and into space.United need Kobbie Mainoo in midfieldKobbie Mainoo’s return from injury a few weeks ago has come at a timely point in the season for United.But Amorim should avoid putting the 20-year-old back in as one of the two No10s.Mainoo thrived last season from a deeper midfield role and became a defensive staple for England after a lot of experimenting from Gareth Southgate last summer.And he needs to start alongside another holding midfielder in front of the back line against Bilbao for United to be successful.That’s because Bilbao are a high-pressing team and are brilliant at stopping their opponents from playing out of their defensive third.Here, the opposition are looking to build the attack and you can see that Bilbao are aggressive in pressing up and committing players into higher positions to press the ball. As the pass is played diagonally into the midfield, we see Bilbao immediately trigger and win the ball back close to the opposition goal.With Casemiro likely to be one of the midfielders picked in Spain, it is essential that Amorim also selects a midfielder who is comfortable taking the ball while facing his own goal while under pressure from an opposition midfielder.This is why Mainoo must be one of the two midfielders in that role for United.The English youngster is brave on the ball and willing to take passes when the game is tight around him.Bournemouth press in a similar style to Bilbao. Mainoo must come in to receive the ball and take pressure before moving the ball on and allowing United to play through the press.Kobbie Mainoo has to start in holding midfieldCredit: RexThis will allow United to be more effective in playing through the thirds and building some attacking dominance when they are in possession.Mainoo in midfield will give United an element of control that will be crucial if they are to head back to Old Trafford with a positive result.ConclusionUnited need to win this semi-final to have any semblance of success this season. The issue they have is that Bilbao are the best team left in it.Read More on The SunTheir physical strength and the way they commit to defending aggressively makes it difficult to break them down.And the threat of the Williams brothers means that you cannot afford to play too high and leave them space to attack into.Luke Shaw could be the best option to play on the left of a back threeCredit: GettyKeeping the Williams brothers quiet will go a long way to winning the semi-finalCredit: AFP More

THEY say people from Scandinavia are among the happiest – and it seems the same can be said for footballers too.For Tottenham face the friendliest club on the continent on Thursday in the Europa League semi-finals.Bodo/Glimt have seen a number of players sold and then re-signedBodo/Glimt aren’t paying attention to Tottenham’s dismal Premier League seasonTottenham and Bodo/Glimt will face in the Europa League semi-finalsBodo/Glimt have created a strong atmosphere that convinces players the grass is not greener elsewhereBodo/Glimt’s unlikely run to the last four has been powered by a number of players sold and then re-signed to the collegiate Norwegian outfit.Forward Jens Petter Hauge, for example, discovered the grass not to be greener elsewhere compared to Bodo’s plastic pitch when he first left for AC Milan in 2020.He came back to his hometown club permanently earlier this year, following a stint at Eintracht Frankfurt, whom Spurs saw off in the quarter-finals.Those returning are content to do so because of the pally atmosphere at the small club from the Arctic circle. Read More on FootballSporting director Havard Sakariassen, 48, explained: “We have some guys in our team, Patrick Berg, Frederik Andre Bjorkan, Jens Petter Hauge, Hakon Evjen, who have left us and tried the other side, going to European clubs.“It has a value in itself, in your life, to be able to play at this level in your hometown, also with your friends.“The culture in the club here is something they really enjoy. “Of course, over the years, we have become competitive in Scandinavia regarding salaries and the business part of it.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“But I think it has to be rare to be able to play football with your mates at this level anywhere in Europe and that has a value.”Bodo/Glimt grabbed headlines by battering Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 in 2021.Ange Postecoglou says he will be around ‘for a little bit longer’ after Tottenham victory over Eintracht Frankfurt They then played Tottenham’s North London rivals Arsenal a year later, also in the Europa League, but lost both group games without scoring a goal.They have developed considerably since then, against the odds given their relatively tiny resources compared to some of the clubs they have seen off in Europe.They have beaten FC Twente, Besiktas, Olympiacos and Lazio already this season.While they certainly will not be taken lightly by Spurs chief Ange Postecoglou, whose Celtic side lost twice to Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League three years ago.Sakariassen, who had two stints at the club as a player, added: “For us every game is learning and we have played a lot of difficult games against good teams in Europe since we played Arsenal some years ago.“We have cracked some codes regarding performance, especially away. Manager’s impact“To be more cynical, not to be naive going to play against good teams in Europe.“It’s maybe a better squad but also a better prepared Bodo/Glimt at this point.”Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen has been an integral part behind the club’s rise, having been in charge since 2018.He has been linked to numerous posts, including Leeds and Brighton, in recent years.Sakariassen is relaxed about his manager’s situation – while he reads nothing into Spurs’ atrocious league form ahead of the first-leg showdown in N17.The supremo added: “Of course Kjetil is an attractive coach, that’s just the nature of what we do.’We have all the tools’“I know that he enjoys being in Bodo, he enjoys working at this club. “Should he for some reason decide to do something else I think we should applaud him to the airport and say thank you. “But I’m not afraid of that at all, and I think that we will work here for more years to come – but who knows.“I don’t think we look at Tottenham’s league form at all. We know that we meet a good team, tremendous football players at a high, high level.Read More on The Sun“But we also walk into this game with confidence that whoever we meet we believe we’re able to compete. “I truly believe we have all the tools to be brave enough to go out in London and just be Bodo/Glimt.” More