Athletic Bilbao’s tweet aimed at Manchester United has gone viral following the Red Devils’ Europa League final defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday night. It marked United’s second visit to San Mames this season - but while their previous trip saw them knock out the Basque side with a 7-1 aggregate scoreline, their return ended in misery, as their hopes of any silverware in the 2024/25 campaign came to a whimpering end.
Brennan Johnson’s first-half strike proved decisive, sealing a 1-0 win for Spurs. As a result, United will now miss out on European football entirely next season for the first time since the 2014/15 campaign. The long-term fallout from the defeat is still unfolding, but what’s clear is that their road to redemption just got a lot steeper.
The Europa League final was their last chance saloon - a golden opportunity to salvage a dismal Premier League season that’s seen them record their lowest points tally, fewest wins, and most defeats in the modern era. To rub salt in the wounds, their Europa League semi-final opponents, Athletic Bilbao, have now taken a cheeky dig at United’s downfall, not long after lodging a formal complaint against them to UEFA.
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Athletic Bilbao's Tweet Takes Aim At Man United
The Spanish outfit were quick to twist the knife on Wednesday night
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The La Liga club's complaint to UEFA concerned the alleged mistreatment of their supporters who travelled to Old Trafford for the second leg earlier this month, with many from the Spanish contingent ending up seated in the home end.
While the accusations ultimately led to no further action, it’s fair to say Athletic got the last laugh watching Man United fall on their own stomping ground last night, as their social media account made clear by writing (see the post below):
"Chins up, Man Utd. No doubt we’ll see you at this stage of a tournament again in the future."
Of course, the caption could be interpreted as a genuine act of sportsmanship. But given the three images that accompanied it, that’s more than a stretch. One shows Cristian Romero kissing a heartbroken Alejandro Garnacho on the head, while the others capture Leny Yoro with his hands on his head in despair. Taken together, the post reads more like a jab at the Red Devils than a gesture of goodwill.
As many commenters pointed out as well, the tone seemed filled with sarcasm. With United languishing in 16th place in the Premier League and grappling with financial turmoil, it may be a long road back to European competition, with the club now facing yet another summer rebuild just as they seem to do every 12 months.