Thursday 06 March 2025 20:40
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Manchester United’s unbeaten run in Europe continued in San Sebastian, but the Reds will leave the Basque Country feeling a slight sense of disappointment.
Ask Reds fans before kick-off in Spain about what result they’d settle for and many would have been satisfied with 1-1 – in fact, the phrase ‘snap your hand off for a draw’ may have crossed a few lips.
United will be favourites to progress following the return leg at Old Trafford in a week’s time, but the scales could have been tipped more in our favour after a professional first 70 minutes at the Reale Arena.
Much of it wasn’t pretty, especially in the first half, which can best be described as a slow-burner on a tricky, slippery surface. But the Reds were mostly in control and took a deserved lead through Joshua Zirkzee just before the hour, his quick shot outfoxing Alex Remiro.
The hosts hadn’t recorded a shot on target up to that point and we looked likely to double our lead.
Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes were controlling the midfield and the leggy Basques seemed to have no answer, with a lack of sustained support coming from the stands too, bar a few louder sections.
But the decision to award La Real a penalty after a Bruno Fernandes handball – seen by nobody in the stadium, bar the VAR official – twisted the mood and the momentum, as the crowd celebrated Mikel Oyarzabal’s successful effort by mimicking Manchester City’s ‘Poznan’ choreography.
The volume cranked up a notch and from then on Imanol Aguacil’s side were the side with the impetus.
The La Liga outfit probably should have doubled their tally but United held out well, recording a fourth draw in this season’s competition, to go with wins over PAOK, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, Rangers and FCSB.
You’d have to go back to December 2023 to find the last time we lost in European competition, to Bayern Munich, but our involvement in this season’s tournament is still in the balance and next Thursday will be the biggest game of our campaign so far.
“Could be better, but could be worse, because in the last 20 minutes I felt the team really tired,” said Ruben Amorim.
“But until the penalty, I felt that the team was in control of the game. After the goal, we were so near the second goal with transitions.
“You felt in the stadium, they were nervous, but in the end, the penalty, I think they changed a little bit.
“And then when the momentum changed, we get tired more easily. We take the game to Old Trafford and we will try to win that.”
The Spaniards won on their last visit to Manchester, on an eerie occasion, as the United Kingdom mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II. After tonight’s result in San Sebastian, that same scoreline will have to be avoided.
It could have been better, but it’s all to play for!
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Thursday 06 March 2025 20:40
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