Athletic Bilbao’s coach Ernesto Valverde names ONE Manchester United player who made him restless yesterday.

In one of the most unexpected turns in this season’s Europa League, Manchester United delivered a performance that left even a seasoned tactician like Athletic Bilbao’s Ernesto Valverde astonished. The English side stormed San Mamés with a dominant 3-0 victory in the first leg of their semi-final clash, but beyond the scoreline, it was a surprising standout performance that caught Valverde completely off guard.

The match, heavily anticipated as a tactical showdown, unfolded with United asserting early control. Goals from Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes helped set the tone, but the most jaw-dropping moment came not from the usual attacking suspects. Instead, it was centre-back Harry Maguire who stole the spotlight with a move that not only broke Bilbao’s defensive rhythm but also disrupted their entire game plan. In a sequence few would have predicted, Maguire found himself on the right flank, weaving past defenders with surprising agility before delivering a pin-point cross that Casemiro buried into the net. The moment felt surreal—a defender playing like a Brazilian winger, sparking wild reactions online where fans jokingly dubbed him “Harrydinho.”

Valverde, reflecting after the final whistle, couldn’t hide his disbelief. Admitting that he had never seen a team like Manchester United perform in such a fluid and unexpected way, he pointed specifically to Maguire’s moment of flair as the game’s turning point. He confessed that neither he nor his players were mentally prepared for what followed. That single act of improvisation destabilized Bilbao’s structure, and their efforts to regain control were further hindered by a red card shown to Daniel Vivian, reducing them to ten men.

What resonated most was Valverde’s candid admission that no tactical setup had accounted for Maguire becoming a wide-playmaker. This element of surprise, he noted, is what can redefine matches at the highest level. The psychological blow of the first goal, especially coming in such a surprising fashion, left Bilbao struggling to reset, and United capitalized ruthlessly on that advantage.

Though humbled, Valverde emphasized the importance of learning from such moments. With the second leg looming at Old Trafford, he remained determined to rally his team and counter United’s adaptability. He suggested that Maguire, once viewed as a defensive liability, will now be a marked man in the return leg.

The night served as a vivid reminder that football’s most unforgettable moments are often the least expected. For Maguire, it was a chapter of redemption and reinvention. For Valverde, it was a lesson in never underestimating any player—especially one who’s been underestimated so often before. As the spotlight now shifts to Manchester, the anticipation builds not just for a clash of teams, but for the possibility of another script-defying performance that could tilt the scales once more.