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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
ATHLETIC BILBAO  Iraizoz Iraola, San Jose, Amorebieta, Aurtenetxe Martinez, Herrera Susaeta, De Marcos, Muniain Llorente | MANCHESTER UNITED  De Gea Jones, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra Nani, Carrick, Scholes, Young Rooney, Welbeck |
Athletic Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa is sweating on the fitness of striker Fernando Llorente and midfielder Oscar de Marcos.
Llorente is struggling to shake off a hip problem, while De Marcos is suffering from fever and a heavy bout of flu.
Both failed to train on Tuesday but will be expected to make the team, while Ander Herrera and Javi Martinez should be recalled after they were rested for the 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on Sunday.
Defender Fernando Amorebieta returns from suspension.
Manchester United defender Chris Smalling may miss the second-leg after having to withdraw from the first game with a head injury that he had received during international duty with England.
Sir Alex Ferguson will be able to call upon the services of midfielders Tom Cleverley and Antonio Valencia who have both returned from injury and look set to take places on the bench.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Sunday’s defeat away to Osasuna was Athletic Bilbao’s first lost in their last five games.
- The Estadio San Mames side are currently in seventh place in the Spanish Primera Liga,
three points behind fourth place Malaga.
- Striker Fernando Llorente (pictured right) is Athletic’s top goalscorer with the 27-year-old Spanish international having claimed 21 goals so far this season.
- Venezuela international defender Fernando Amorebieta returns to Marcelo Bielsa’s side after being sent off in the previous round against Lokomotiv Moscow, his third red card of the season.
- Last season the Basque side finished in sixth place in the league, an incredible 38 points behind La Liga champions Barcelona.
- Bielsa’s team having scored in their last 17 games in a row, with a goalless draw against Getafe in January being the last time they failed to find the net.
- Manchester United have only managed to win three of their European fixtures so far this season, with two of those coming against Romanian minnows Otelul Galati.
- The last time the Red Devils visited North East Spain was in January 1957 when Sir Matt Busby’s side fell to a 5-3 defeat in the European Cup in the snow of Bilbao.
- Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have only lost once in their last seven games in all competitions.
- Wayne Rooney claimed his 20th league goal of the season during Manchester United’s two goal victory over West Brom, which saw them return to the top of the Premier League.
Editor's Prediction
Athletic Bilbao 1-3 Man Utd. 
