Fernandes hat-trick seals Place quarter-out

Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick, as Manchester United went behind in a game with three penalties to advance to the quarterfinals of Europa League with a 4-1 victory over Real Sociath.

After fighting a 1-1 tie in San Sebastián last week, United fell behind when Mikel Oyarzabal turned a ten minute place.

But the referee Benoit Bastien and the VAR played a leading role, as United went around it thanks to a couple of almost identical Fernandes penalties.

Bastien then left LaLiga’s side with a mountain to climb when he showed Jon Aramburu a straight red card in the 63rd minute, with the uphill task, demonstrating too much for the Basque side, while Fernandes completed his treble and Diogo Dalot added a fourth late to reserve a last meeting with Lyon.

Bruno Fernandes gets his hat-trick!

Man United captain puts his team 4-2 as a whole to ensure their place in the quarterfinals of the Europa League 🔥 🔥

📺 @TNTSPORTS And @discoveryplusuk pic.twitter.com/iu9rmwfsrx

– Football to TNT Sports (@footballont) March 13, 2025

Manchester United vs Real Sociedad

Sociedad was rewarded by a brilliant start in the 10th minute when Oyarzabal marked a penalty for the second time on the tie, passing fresh in the lower right corner, after a long VAR control, Bastien went to the monitor and ruled that he had been failed by Ligt’s Matthijs.

But the United responded excellently and level from the site when Fernandes coincided with Oyarzabal’s composition after the lack of igor Zubeldia in Rasmus Hojlund, the Portuguese star that slidly slid in the lower left corner.

United equalizer significantly raised the mood at Old Trafford and launched an entertaining and open the first half, although it ended without any of the goalkeepers trying again.

However, United completed the change of five minutes in the second half. Alex Remiro could only turn Joshua Zirkzee’s effort into the path of Patrick Dorgu, who collided with Aritz Elustondo.

Bastien stopped before pointing the site, and while Fernandes had to endure a long wait before VAR confirmed what a dubious decision seemed, he again maintained his feeling that he turned what was almost a carbon copy of his first penalty, with this on the left of Remiro.

Aramburu was dismissed when he launched the impressive Dorgu and was awarded for being the last man. This eliminated Sociedad from the equation as a serious threat, and United made the hay to add brightness to the scoreboard.

Zirkzee was denied from a close before directing -United had a third criminal prize annulled by VAR after Dorgu passed to the area.

But Fernandes headed his instrumental exhibition with his third when he released on the right side of the area and headed beyond Remiro, with Dalot and completed a rare wonderful night for the United States this season, dropping home in the 91st minute.