Kenya, April 30 -- Manchester United football players Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt have come back to full training with the team. This is great news for the team as they prepare for an important Europa League match against Athletic Club.
Amad has been out since February because of an ankle injury, and De Ligt has been missing since April 1 with a similar issue. Now they can travel with the team to Bilbao for the match.
Their return is encouraging for the team, especially as they aim to qualify for the Champions League by doing well in the Europa League. United's recent performances, together with De Ligt's strong defense and Amad's skill, could make a big difference in this crucial match.
On Wednesday, both players were confirmed to be back in training ahead of the Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao. Their recovery gives hope to a team dealing with several injuries as they chase success in Europe.
Amad, a 22-year-old winger from Ivory Coast, had an ankle ligament injury from training that many thought would keep him out for the season.
De Ligt, a 25-year-old defender from the Netherlands, missed United's last six games due to an ankle injury from a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest.
Their training sessions were confirmed by sources like Sky Sports and ESPN, bringing excitement to fans.
"Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt are back in training, a huge boost for Manchester United," said Sky Sports News on X. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano also said Amad's return was earlier than expected.
Manager Ruben Amorim spoke before the Bilbao match and said he would be careful about how quickly they play. "Both players trained with the team, which is good, but we will check if they are ready," Amorim said.
Amad, who has scored nine goals and provided eight assists this season, may not start but could travel with the team and maybe play in the game. De Ligt's return is important, especially with other defenders like Lisandro Martinez out for the season and Diogo Dalot possibly missing the rest of the season due to an injury.
United's attack has struggled without Amad, who had impressive performances earlier in the season. Only captain Bruno Fernandes has scored more goals than him in the Premier League.
Former United player Gary Neville praised Amad after his great match against Manchester City, a feeling shared by many fans.
Athletic Club, on the other hand, also have issues, as their top scorer Oihan Sancet might not play due to an injury he got in their recent game.
Athletic Club is currently fourth in La Liga and won their last match against Rangers in the quarter-finals, setting up an exciting semi-final.
Right now, Manchester United is struggling in 14th place in the Premier League and has been eliminated from other cup competitions.
The Europa League is their only chance for winning something this season and qualifying for the Champions League in the 2025/26 season.
If they win against Athletic Club across two matches, they could face either Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt in the final on May 21 at San Mames, the same place as Thursday's first match.
The training squad also included young players like Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson, Bendito Mantato, Sekou Kone, and Jaydan Kamason.
However, 17-year-old Chido Obi trained but cannot play in the Europa League. Midfielder Toby Collyer also worked on his own during the session as he returns from injury.
Amorim is likely to make changes for the upcoming Premier League match against Brentford on Sunday, giving Amad and De Ligt important game time to regain their fitness before the second leg at Old Trafford on May 8.
According to the Manchester Evening News, both players will gradually return to play, with the Brentford match being the target for their comeback.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.