Bruno Fernandes scored a hat-trick as Manchester United came from behind in a game featuring three penalties to progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad.
Having battled to a 1-1 draw in San Sebastián last week, United fell behind when Mikel Oyarzabal converted a 10th-minute spot-kick.
But referee Benoit Bastien and the VAR played a starring role as United turned it around thanks to a pair of near-identical Fernandes penalties.
Bastien then left the LaLiga side with a mountain to climb when he showed Jon Aramburu a straight red card in the 63rd minute, with the uphill task proving too much for the Basque side as Fernandes completed his treble and Diogo Dalot added a fourth late on to book a last-eight meeting with Lyon.
BRUNO FERNANDES GETS HIS HAT-TRICK!
The Man United captain puts his team 4-2 up on aggregate to effectively guarantee their place in the Europa League Quarter-Finals 🔥
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/iu9RMwfsrx
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 13, 2025
Manchester United vs Real Sociedad
Sociedad were rewarded for a bright start in the 10th minute when Oyarzabal scored a penalty for the second time in the tie, coolly slotting into the bottom-right corner as, after a lengthy VAR check, Bastien went to the monitor and ruled he had been fouled by Matthijs de Ligt.
But United responded superbly and levelled from the spot when Fernandes matched Oyarzabal’s composure following Igor Zubeldia’s foul on Rasmus Hojlund, the Portugal star nonchalantly sliding the ball into the bottom-left corner.
United’s equaliser considerably lifted the mood at Old Trafford and set in motion an entertaining and open first half, albeit one that ended without either goalkeeper being tested again.
However, United completed the turnaround five minutes into the second half. Alex Remiro could only turn Joshua Zirkzee’s effort into the path of Patrick Dorgu, who collided with Aritz Elustondo.
Bastien paused before eventually pointing to the spot and, while Fernandes had to endure a lengthy wait before VAR upheld what looked a dubious decision, he once again maintained his cool to convert what was almost a carbon copy of his first penalty, with this one going to Remiro’s left.
Aramburu was dismissed when he hauled down the impressive Dorgu and was adjudged to have been the last man. That removed Sociedad from the equation as a serious threat, and United made hay in adding gloss to the scoreline.
Zirkzee was denied from close range before heading wide, and United had a third penalty award overturned by VAR after Dorgu went over in the area.
But Fernandes capped his instrumental display with his third when he broke free into the right side of the area and steered beyond Remiro, with Dalot then completing a rare wonderful night for United this season by slamming home in the 91st minute.
