• Europa League round-up

United utterly outclassed by Bilbao, Sporting beat City

Manchester United were distinctly second best at Old Trafford © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: United struggling defensively - Carrick
  
• News: 'We were well beaten' - Ferguson
  
• News: Kompany back in two weeks - Mancini
  

Both Manchester clubs need to win their second legs in the Europa League last-16 after suffering stunning defeats on Thursday.

Manchester United were given something of a footballing lesson by Athletic Bilbao in their first leg at Old Trafford, and they will head to Spain for the return leg needing to score at least twice after an incredibly one-sided 3-2 defeat on home soil.

Bilbao, already awaiting a Copa del Rey final as well as challenging for Champions League football in La Liga, dominated possession from start to finish at the home of the English champions, and only their own profligacy - in addition to three outstanding David De Gea saves - preserved United from a truly embarrassing scoreline.

Wayne Rooney gave Sir Alex Ferguson's men a scarcely deserved first-half lead but the dangerous Fernando Llorente levelled on the stroke of half-time. Bilbao eventually found the goals that their play warranted as Oscar De Marcos netted a delicious second before Iker Muniain made it 3-1, but Rooney's injury-time penalty cut the deficit heading into the second leg.

United's European record has been, by their own high standards, extremely poor this season and Bilbao immediately started on the front foot, Llorente clipping just wide as United struggled to get any ball in the first five minutes.

The hosts' first shot on target did not arrive until the 17th minute when Javier Hernandez created a yard for himself, only to send a tame effort into the hands of Gorka Iraizoz. Meanwhile, up the other end Bilbao had a decent shout for a penalty when Chris Smalling appeared to haul down Llorente.

The first 20 minutes exclusively belonged to the away side but, just as they did at Tottenham, United struck completely against the run of play through Rooney. The England man owed everything to Hernandez who threw two defenders when he dummied to shoot, allowing Rooney to tap home the rebound when the Mexican's eventual effort was parried by Iraizoz.

Bilbao proved unfazed by the goal though, settling straight back into their passing pattern as they dominated the football, Llorente threatening with a near-post header. Markel Susaeta then wasted their best chance of the first half hour when played clean through behind the United defence, sending his lob over De Gea but wide of an upright.

The chances kept coming for the slick Bilbao outfit and De Gea had to be sharp to deny Andoni Iraola at his near post. It looked like United would take a hugely undeserved one-goal lead into the break, but right on the stroke of the interval Llorente buried a trademark header that was the least Bilbao's play had warranted.

The half-time break did nothing to alter the pattern of the game as De Gea was forced to make a world class save from Muniain early in the second period, and he repeated the trick moments later, this time to deny Llorente. United had no answer to the passing game of their rivals, who forced yet another De Gea save when Muniain was one-on-one.

A goal simply had to come and when it did, it was quite breathtaking in its creation. A series of one-touch passes saw the ball find the feet of the mercurial Ander Herrera, who scooped the ball over the defence for De Marcos to rifle home the second.

De Marcos then had a major hand in Bilbao's third as his shot forced De Gea to parry to Muniain for 3-1, although a harsh free-kick against United had led to the goal. And then De Marcos was again at the centre of attention when he handled to give United a lifeline, Rooney converting a spot-kick for a 3-2 scoreline that flattered the hosts.

Manchester City's hopes of winning a Premier League and Europa League double this season were dealt a blow as Sporting triumphed 1-0 in their first leg in Lisbon.

City, who currently hold a two-point lead at the top of the Premier League, had hoped to exert similar authority over their Portuguese hosts, but instead they lost their skipper - and then the match. Vincent Kompany lasted less than ten minutes before hobbling off injured, and City were undone by a piece of brilliance from Alexandre Xandao for the winning goal.

As promised, Roberto Mancini left Mario Balotelli on the bench following his recent late night ahead of the Premier League game against Bolton. They were soon to lose another key influence inside the first ten minutes as Kompany limped off, picking up an injury in an innocuous off-the-ball incident.

City managed to get Joleon Lescott on in Kompany's place, and moments later they had a chance to open the scoring when Kolo Toure's towering header was saved by the feet of Rui Patricio. The Premier League leaders looked the stronger side, despite the evident counter-attacking threat of their hosts, and a bending effort from Gareth Barry flashed past a post as City settled well.

However, Sporting grew into the match before the break and they took the lead six minutes in the second period, courtesy of a poor Joe Hart error. The City keeper parried a free-kick straight out to Xandao who, at the second attempt, produced a smart back-heel to find the net.

City came within inches of a leveller when Aleksandar Kolarov smashed a 25-yard screamer narrowly wide of the far post, but then they were equally as lucky not to fall 2-0 behind at the other end when Hart atoned for his earlier error with a top class one-handed save from Ricky van Wolfswinkel.

Mancini introduced Balotelli with 20 minutes to go and he instantly created a golden chance for Silva, displaying audacious skill to cross the ball whilst bringing his right foot behind his standing leg, Silva's connection only lacking accuracy as it shaved a post.

Balotelli then produced a fantastic header that rebounded off the bar with three minutes remaining, before Aguero's goalbound dink was stopped en route to goal by a defender on a frustrating night for City.

Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid raced into a 3-0 lead inside 37 minutes of their first leg at home to Besiktas, but had to settle for a 3-1 win. Eduardo Salvio scored twice in four minutes to put the hosts in control and they were cruising when Adrian Lopez added a third. But Simao, playing against his former club, pulled a goal back for the Turks eight minutes into the second half to give them hope for the second leg.

Luuk de Jong scored a hugely fortunate penalty to give FC Twente a 1-0 home leg win over Schalke. The striker clipped his own heels just outside the area and went down, with defender Joel Matip in close attendance. But Scottish referee Craig Thompson pointed to the spot and sent off Matip before De Jong smashed the 61st-minute penalty into the roof of the net.

Olympiacos won 1-0 in Ukraine against Metalist Kharkiv. David Fuster scored the only goal of the game five minutes after the break, and the hosts had Edmar sent off eight minutes from time.

In the late games, Valencia defeated PSV Eindhoven 4-2, Standard Liege drew 2-2 with Hannover and AZ Alkmaar won 2-0 at home to Udinese.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.