Athletic Bilbao's journey through the UEFA Europa League has been one full of excitement and heart-pounding drama. The Basque club made history by qualifying for the group stage as runners-up in their section of the competition, setting up a thrilling showdown against a Ligue 1 rival in the round of 16.
The road to the knockout stages was far from easy, with Athletic facing tough opposition throughout their group stage campaign. They managed to secure second place after a closely contested battle with rivals Real Sociedad, who were also hoping to make it into the next round.
In the quarter-finals, Athletic faced off against Serie A side Torino, but they came out on top with a hard-fought 2-1 victory. This result saw them progress to the semi-finals, where they will face either Lyon or Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite their success in Europe, Athletic have not won any major trophies since their last title triumph in 2014. However, their fans remain optimistic that this is just the beginning of what could be a long and successful run in European competitions.
With their match against Ligue 1 rivals Bordeaux set to take place in the round of 16, Athletic Bilbao fans can only hope that their team can continue their winning streak and reach the final. Whether they win or lose, however, the story of Athletic's journey through the Europa League will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.