Ander Herrera remains hopeful: 'If one club can pull it off, it’s Athletic'

As the clock ticks down to kick-off at 21:00 on Thursday evening, the eyes of football fans across Europe will be fixed on Old Trafford, where Manchester United host Athletic Club in the second leg of a high-stakes European semi-final.

The stakes could not be higher. The reward? A place in the final to be played, in a poetic twist, in Bilbao the very city where Athletic’s heart beats strongest. For one man in particular, this match is deeply personal: Ander Herrera.

Currently plying his trade with Boca Juniors in Argentina, Herrera may be thousands of miles away, but emotionally, he is right in the middle of this tie. Few players can say they have worn the colours of both Manchester United and Athletic Club with the pride and passion Herrera brought to the pitch. He understands the culture, identity, and expectations of both clubs better than most, and it’s that connection that makes his words resonate louder than mere punditry.

United may have cruised to a 3-0 victory in the first leg at San Mamés, but the result, as Herrera points out, doesn’t quite tell the full story. “Athletic had all the bad luck you can possibly have in football that night,” he told Marca. “A red card, missed chances, deflections you name it. But this team doesn’t give up easily. If any club can do the impossible, it’s Athletic.”

The statistics and logic all favour Manchester United. A three-goal advantage, no away goals rule, home support at Old Trafford, and a fully fit squad the Red Devils are overwhelming favourites to reach the final. Yet, as Herrera warns, knockout football is unpredictable by nature, and passion sometimes overrides probability.

“There’s something magical about knockout ties,” Herrera said. “They strip football down to its rawest form. Tactics matter, of course, but it’s about emotion, belief, timing, and seizing the moment. Athletic have that spirit. They’ve done it before, and they can do it again.”

He’s not wrong. Athletic Club have made a reputation for themselves as fearless underdogs on the European stage. The club, which exclusively fields players from the Basque Country, represents not just a football team but a unique cultural institution. They don’t just play for trophies they play for identity, for legacy, and for their people.

But the task ahead is monumental. Not only do they need to overturn a three-goal deficit at Old Trafford one of the most iconic and intimidating venues in world football they must do so without several of their most important players. Dani Vivian is suspended after seeing red in the first leg. More devastatingly, both Iñaki and Nico Williams dynamic wingers and cornerstones of the team’s attack are out injured. Add to that the absence of Oihan Sancet, their leading goalscorer this season, and Athletic find themselves severely weakened in a match where every ounce of quality could make the difference.

Even so, Herrera insists that there’s no room for doubt. “What do they have to lose? They should go out there with fire in their hearts and just attack. Press high, win second balls, take risks. Even if it doesn’t work out, you go down fighting. But I really believe if they score early, the pressure shifts.”

The prospect of the final being played in Bilbao only adds to the emotional weight of the tie. The idea of Athletic reaching a European final on home soil something that would electrify the Basque Country serves as an extra source of motivation. Old Trafford may be a fortress, but football history is built on nights when logic was defied.

For Herrera, the fixture is as symbolic as it is strategic. His career has been shaped by both clubs. At Athletic, he developed into a top-level midfielder, embraced the Basque identity, and won over the fans with his intelligence and work rate. At Manchester United, he became a cult hero a tireless presence in midfield who wore his heart on his sleeve, winning the FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League. The love he earned from both fanbases is rare in today’s footballing landscape.

“I owe a lot to both clubs,” he said. “They helped shape me as a player and as a person. Watching them compete for a place in a European final is special but strange. My heart is divided.”

Indeed, it’s a night full of layers of history, emotion, and high-stakes football. On one side, a Manchester United team that is rebuilding, desperate to return to European glory. On the other, an Athletic Club team fighting not just for silverware but for a dream that transcends sport.

Whether or not Athletic can pull off a miracle remains to be seen. But as Herrera reminds us, football has a funny way of writing its own scripts. All it takes is one goal, one spark, one moment of belief. And for ninety minutes under the lights at Old Trafford, anything is possible.