Matthijs de Ligt will not feature for Manchester United on Thursday evening in the Europa League semi-final. The defender is recovering from an injury he sustained in the league match against Brentford.
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Matthijs de Ligt made his first start in over a month for Manchester United on Sunday, marking a return from a foot injury that had kept him sidelined since late March.
The Dutch international had been gradually reintegrating into training, and his inclusion in the starting lineup against Brentford was seen as a sign that he was finally back to full fitness. However, the optimism was short-lived. After just 35 minutes on the pitch, De Ligt signaled to the bench that he could not continue and was immediately substituted, raising fresh concerns about his recovery and physical condition.
During Wednesday’s pre-match press conference ahead of United’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao, manager Rúben Amorim confirmed that the centre-back would be unavailable for at least the next two fixtures. Amorim, who has repeatedly expressed his admiration for De Ligt’s leadership and defensive stability, was visibly disappointed but tried to downplay the severity of the issue.
“It’s not a serious injury, and that’s the most important thing,” Amorim stated. “But with this kind of setback, we don’t want to take unnecessary risks. He will miss the next two games, and then we’ll evaluate him on a daily basis. The medical team is optimistic, but we’ll see how his foot responds to treatment before making any decisions.”
De Ligt’s absence is a blow to United’s defensive line, especially given the importance of the fixtures at hand. The first is the high-stakes return leg against Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League, and the second is a critical Premier League clash against West Ham United. While the Red Devils had taken a commanding lead into the home tie, missing an experienced defender like De Ligt always creates a degree of uncertainty—particularly given the squad’s struggles with form and consistency throughout the season.
United had gone into the second leg at Old Trafford with a comfortable 0-3 advantage, following a dominant performance in the Basque Country. First-half goals from Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, followed by a second-half strike from Rasmus Højlund, had all but sealed the fate of the Spanish side in the first leg. Bilbao, who were without attacking threats Iñaki Williams, Nico Williams, and leading scorer Oihan Sancet due to injuries, were always going to face an uphill battle in the return fixture.
On Thursday night, Manchester United finished the job in front of a packed Old Trafford. Despite some early pressure from the visitors, goals from Garnacho and Fernandes were enough to secure a 2-1 win on the night and a 5-1 aggregate victory. Bilbao managed to pull one goal back late in the second half through a long-range effort from Oier Zarraga, but it was far too little, too late.
The win means that Manchester United have booked their place in the Europa League final, where they will face either Roma or Bayer Leverkusen. For Amorim, who took over the club mid-season following a turbulent start under Erik ten Hag, reaching the final represents a major milestone and a chance to salvage what has otherwise been a disappointing campaign.
Still, not everything is going smoothly for the club. In the Premier League, United remain mired in mediocrity. After a string of poor results and inconsistent performances, the team currently sits fifteenth in the table far below the expectations set at the start of the season. De Ligt, brought in last summer as part of a major defensive overhaul, has struggled with injuries and has not had the opportunity to fully impose himself on the squad.
His absence now, at a critical stage in both European and domestic competitions, only adds to the challenges facing the club. With Lisandro Martínez also dealing with fitness issues and Raphael Varane having recently returned from a long layoff, Amorim has limited options at the back. Youngsters like Willy Kambwala and experienced yet inconsistent options like Harry Maguire may have to step up in De Ligt’s absence.
The Dutch defender’s recovery will be closely monitored over the coming days. The hope within the club is that he could be fit in time for the Europa League final if United progress past their next Premier League hurdles without aggravating their defensive vulnerabilities.
For now, fans will have to wait and see whether De Ligt’s latest setback proves to be just a temporary delay or part of a worrying pattern for a player who was once among Europe’s most promising centre-backs and who still carries the weight of high expectations in Manchester.
Updated: 03:03, 7 May 2025
