Manchester United to play Athletic Bilbao in Dublin
First visit to Ireland by the Red Devils for six years
Final game for Erik Ten Hag’s men before start of the 23/24 Premier League Season
Manchester United have announced they will visit Dublin to play a match against La Liga side Athletic Bilbao in a final warm-up game before the start of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
The game, to be played on the 6th August at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, will provide a final opportunity for Erik ten Hag to fine-tune his first team squad before the season opener, and a rare chance for Irish fans to see United play on Irish soil.
It will be the third time that United have played at Dublin’s Aviva stadium after beating a League of Ireland XI 7-1 in the opening game at the 51,700-capacity arena in 2010, followed by a 2-1 win over Italian side Sampdoria in 2017.
United last faced Athletic Bilbao in the 2012 Europa League and before that in the 1957 European Cup – United’s first season in European competition.
Manchester United Ambassador and former Republic of Ireland full-back, Denis Irwin, travelled to Dublin to announce the match.
Manchester United’s Football Director, John Murtough, said:
“United has such strong connections with Ireland, being the birthplace of great players such as George Best, Roy Keane, and of course Denis Irwin. We know how passionate our Irish supporters are and it’s a pleasure to be able to bring this game to Dublin.
“After returning from tour in the US, Erik and the team will be eager to put the finishing touches on their preparations for the new season. A game against high-quality La Liga opposition such as Athletic Bilbao will be a great opportunity to gain fitness and playing time before the start of the 2023/24 campaign, as well as providing entertainment for our Irish fans.”
Tickets for this match go on pre-sale to fans who have pre-registered and Manchester United Season Ticket Holders, Official Members and Executive Club Members from 14.00 BST on the 13th June, before going on general sale from 12.00 BST on the 15th June.
Access to pre-sale can be obtained by registering your interest at www.manutd.com/pre-season2023alerts
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