- Manchester United beat Real Sociedad 4-1 to progress to the Europa League quarter-finals with a 5-2 aggregate victory
- Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, while Diogo Dalot added a late goal
- Manchester United will face Lyon in the next round
Key Takeaways:
Manchester United secured their most important win of 2025 so far, defeating Real Sociedad 4-1 at Old Trafford to book a place in the Europa League quarter-finals. The result came after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, ensuring the Red Devils remain in the hunt for European silverware.
Good morning to everyone but especially Bruno Fernandes 🤗 pic.twitter.com/b1r8Z1NZuX
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 14, 2025
The match saw three penalties awarded, with referee Benoît Bastien’s performance raising eyebrows. Sociedad took the lead in the 10th minute when VAR intervened to award a penalty, which Mikel Oyarzabal converted. Six minutes later, the Red Devils responded with a spot-kick of their own, and Bruno Fernandes made no mistake from 11 metres.
The most controversial moment came in the 50th minute when Patrick Dorgu collided with a Real Sociedad defender, and Bastien pointed to the spot again. Despite protests and a VAR check, the decision stood, allowing Fernandes to put United 2-1 up. The Portuguese midfielder completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute, before Diogo Dalot added a fourth in stoppage time.
With Premier League struggles leaving United with little hope of securing a Champions League spot through domestic competition, winning the Europa League may be their best route back into Europe’s top club tournament. They will now face Lyon in the quarter-finals, after the French side comfortably dispatched FCSB with a 4-0 second-leg victory following their 3-1 win in Bucharest.