According to reports, tomorrow Athletic Bilbao will host Manchester United in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals at San Mamés Stadium. Athletic, who are in good form in La Liga, are the biggest obstacle for the Red Devils to reach the final, and tomorrow they aim to secure a positive result to take a step closer to Old Trafford for the second leg.

Ernesto Valverde, who once defeated Manchester United as Barcelona’s coach, now hopes to continue this path with Athletic Bilbao. He said in the pre-match press conference: “Our goal is always to get a good result in the first leg. Everyone thinks playing the second leg at home is an advantage, but we are not sure. Out of the four semi-finalists, two teams played their last quarter-final away. We must not switch off at any moment, neither in the first leg nor the second.”

Valverde on managing his players’ mentality: “This match is important for the season and the club’s history. We have experienced such situations before. Manchester United’s players have more experience, but this stage is still ahead of us. We want to give everything as always. We understand the fans’ passion, but we must focus only on the game because they have very talented players. Every step we take, the next challenge becomes harder.”

On Sancet’s injury: “He will definitely miss tomorrow’s match; we will see after that. We have other options like Berenguer or Unai Gómez. Berenguer has played this role before. We will decide what is best for us.”

On Athletic’s first semi-final: “Every success here is special. Victories are sweeter, and defeats are more painful. I was used to these matches before, but sometimes you forget, and in the end, it doesn’t matter.”

Keys to success in the match: “United are very strong in set-pieces, both in terms of players entering the box and deliverers. They have different styles, from possession play to using spaces. They are a big team with outstanding individuals. It will be a tough challenge for us.”

On the second leg at Old Trafford: “United are one of the biggest teams in Europe, a team that can win the European Cup in a minute. We keep that in mind, but I don’t know which team has more chances because I don’t know if having more chances is an advantage. This is a stage where 10 bad minutes can destroy you, but 10 good minutes can take you to the top. We must be strong at all times.”

On the pressure on Manchester United: “It’s true that their position in the Premier League is lower than expected, and they have a chance to qualify for the Champions League through the Europa League. United are a Champions League team, but all four teams here think the same. The prize is so big that we all feel this pressure.”

On the first-leg result: “Nothing is guaranteed. We have to play both matches, and our goal is to be ourselves as always. We always expect the opponent, regardless of their league position, to show their best version. United have not lost in Europe and came back from 2-4 down in the quarter-finals. Even four goals in the first leg do not guarantee qualification.”

On the importance of Nico Williams: “It’s true that last season, with the Copa del Rey triumph and the Euros, Nico had a big impact, but he decided to stay at Athletic. We hope he stays here for a long time, shines in these matches, and stays with us next year because we want the best players at Athletic.”