Both Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt are ready to return to training ahead of Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final against Athletic Club scheduled for Thursday.

These two players have been standout performers for the team during what has been a challenging season. Amad impressed with six goals and five assists in his initial 14 matches under the guidance of Ruben Amorim, excelling as either a wing-back or an attacking threat before a significant ankle injury sidelined him in February.

Initially, it was expected that Amad would be out for the rest of the season, but he made a remarkable recovery, positioning himself as a potential contender in the club’s vital European fixtures.

De Ligt’s return has not been quite so widely lauded, but the Dutch defender will be warmly welcomed back after missing the club’s last six matches. In his absence, United won just once and conceded 12 times.

United will need their strongest available XI to overcome Athletic in front of their raucous home crowd on Thursday evening. San Mames, a stadium known as ‘the Cathedral of Football’, has not seen many home defeats this season. Athletic are unbeaten in European competition on home soil this term and have lost just once in front of their own fans since August.

The Red Devils have been beaten on their previous two trips to Bilbao. Marcelo Bielsa’s full-throttle outfit smothered Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in 2012 en route to the Europa League final, while the first iteration of the Busby Babes were beaten 5-3 in the Basque Country 68 years ago.

It remains to be seen if either Amad or De Ligt will be thrown straight into the searing heat of San Mames. United are dealing with a potentially season-ending injury for Diogo Dalot, opening up a void at wing-back which could be directly filled by Amad. Alternatively, De Ligt’s insertion into the back-three could free Noussair Mazraoui to shuffle onto the right flank.