Bruno Fernandes struck twice as Manchester United put one foot in the Europa League final with a clinical away performance to beat 10-man Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on Thursday.

Robert Lewandowski shrugged off a string of missed opportunities to earn Barcelona a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in La Liga.

Players boarded a barge known as the 'Gabarra' and sailed 13 kilometres down the river from the affluent town of Getxo to the Bilbao city hall, where the party continued.

Athletic have been through years of heartache, having lost their previous six consecutive Spanish cup finals and a Europa League final to Atletico Madrid in 2012.

Rodrygo fired La Liga leaders Real Madrid to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao with a superb brace on Sunday to restore their eight-point advantage on Barcelona.

Bilbao are the second most successful team in the history of the Copa del Rey, their 23 titles behind only Barcelona's 31, their most recent coming in 2020-21.

Inaki Williams raced back from Africa to face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and sent Athletic Bilbao into the semi-finals by scoring a crucial goal in their 4-2 extra-time triumph on Wednesday.

Winger Viktor Tsygankov put the hosts ahead 10 minutes after half time but Inaki Williams scored 12 minutes later to claim a point for the away side

Arsenal scrape into the last 16 of the Europa League despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat by Ostersunds, but football was marred by violent clashes at the match between between Athletic Bilbao and Spartak Moscow which left a police officer dead.

Aymeric Laporte announces he is leaving Athletic Bilbao with Premier League leaders Manchester City primed to break their transfer record to sign the French defender.

Triple King's Cup holders Barcelona storm into the last 16 by hammering Real Murcia 5-0 with a second-string team, completing an 8-0 aggregate victory over the third division side.

Spanish media outlet El Correo reported on Sunday that Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde has agreed to succeed Luis Enrique at Barcelona next season.

Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Alejandro Remiro was rushed to hospital on Wednesday after suffering a head injury when he was struck by a ball in training.

Athletic Bilbao held out with nine men to secure a first win over Barcelona in four years and carry a 2-1 lead into the second leg of their Copa del Rey last 16 tie on January 11.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique highlights the hunger of his squad not to be ousted by Real Madrid as Spanish champions after a hard-fought 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao.

Ivan Rakitic's first-half header maintains Barcelona's perfect start to the La Liga season as the champions withstand a wave of late pressure to prevail over Athletic Bilbao.

The EU on Monday orders seven Spanish football clubs including Barcelona and Real Madrid to pay back millions of euros (dollars) in illegal state aid.

First-half goals from Munir El Haddadi and Neymar give Barcelona a slender lead in their Copa del Rey quarter-final tie against Athletic Bilbao with a 2-1 first-leg win.

Luis Suarez's hat-trick helps Barcelona extend their dominant La Liga record against Athletic Bilbao with a crushing 6-0 victory over the 10-man Basque side at Camp Nou.

Munir El Haddadi score both goals as Barcelona beat Espanyol 2-0 on Wednesday to ease into the Copa del Rey's quarterfinals with a 6-1 victory on aggregate.