Manchester United-Tottenham: five good reasons to watch the Europa League final

Wednesday, May 21 at 9 p.m., Manchester United will face Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, at the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao (Spain). This 100 % English poster, the third in the history of the competition, opposes two clubs, the season in the Premier League was catastrophic. This is perhaps what makes the final of this evening as irrational as tempting this evening.

1. To find out which of the two English clubs has the worst season

Respectively 16^e et 17^e One day before the end of the English championship, Manchester United and Tottenham have signed one of their worst seasons for fifty years. In the Premier League, the Red Devils have already lost 18 times; The Londoners have accumulated 21 defeats.

In question? Fragile enrollment on the emotional level, with friable defenses, especially on stopped kicks, and a strong dependence at a few key days, such as Captain Bruno Fernandes, on the Manchester side, or his counterpart his heung-min and the central defender Cristian Romero, Tottenham side.

For the two clubs, this final is an unexpected opportunity to save a calamitous season. In addition to the trophy and more than 30 million euros promised by the European Union of football associations (UEFA), the winner of this match will be qualified for the next Champions League.

2. To see if Tottenham can beat Manchester United a fourth time this season

The club of the northern London suburbs is starting to look like a bane for Manchester United. This season, Tottenham has already beat him three times. First in September 2024, in the Premier League. In Old Trafford, the match lost 0-3 quickly turned into a nightmare for the Red Devils: the Spurs had opened the brand from the 3rd^e Minute, before Bruno Fernandes was expelled for an ugly tackle on James Maddison.

In December, it was in the League Cup that Manchester United fell 4-3 again in London, after a crazy match. Led 3-0 at the time of play, the Red Devils had returned to contact with their opponent thanks to two huge blunders of the Spurs goalkeeper, opportunely transformed by Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo. But the London captain then scored the goal of the break of a sumptuous cornering corner. The goal of Jonny Evans, in additional time, had not changed anything after the match.

The latest confrontation between the two teams was once again played in London in February, on the occasion of the return match of the championship. James Maddison offered a short victory (1-0) to his team, on a bad clearance of Manchester’s defense. Spurs are now targeting a pass of four historical series.

3. To find out if Ruben Amorim will remain coach of the Red Devils

“If we don’t win, it is useless”said Ruben Amorim, after the qualification of Manchester United in pain and under the whistles of his own audience, in the semi-finals against Bilbao. Recruited during the season for more than 10 million euros, the Portuguese Red Devils coach plays Big on Wednesday. The club of northern England had debauched him in Sporting, which has just been crowned Portugal champion, following the dismissal of Erik Ten Hag in November 2024. But it inherited a workforce that is not very compatible with its playing philosophy: a 3-4-3 athletic based on the ability to quickly project itself towards the opposing goal. The technician adapted, especially since the season was enamelled, as with his opponent, many injuries. For the final, the uncertainties still hover around the presence of defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Diogo Dalot as well as that of striker Joshua Zirkzee. A victory this evening could open the doors of the “in -depth” transformation of the team, which he calls for his wishes.

4. To find out if Ange Postcoglou can break the “curse” of Tottenham

Angel Postcoglou completes his second season on Tottenham’s bench, but faces a “curse”. The club has not won a title since 2008 (and a modest League Cup) and has been looking for a first major trophy since its last UEFA Cup victory in 1984, over forty years ago. In 2019, Tottenham had lost in the Champions League final against Liverpool. After a shimmering first exercise finished at 5^e Place du Championship, the Australian technician had to deal with multiple injuries this season. His playing philosophy, “Without compromise”in its own terms with British radio Talksport, is made of sharp attacks, based in particular on the side and the clever exploitation of spaces, as well as a high and intense pressing. Will he be able to implement it against Manchester United and defeat the reputation of spursy (team likely to collapse in the crucial moments) of Tottenham?

5. To see if Manchester United has overcome its European trauma

In Manchester United, the glorious European evenings – three champions leagues in particular – seem very distant. Since their last title in the Europa League, in 2017 against Ajax (2-0, goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitalyan), the Red Devils have struggled to exist on the continental scene. No more quarterfinals of the Champions League has since affected, and a recurring executioner: Sevilla FC, responsible for four eliminations. This season, without Andalusian opponent on the horizon, their journey was still laborious. It took a hat-trick by Bruno Fernandes to release Real Sociedad, an incredible reversal of the situation against Lyon (5-4 accumulated after extension), then two flattering successes against Bilbao in the semi-finals (3-0, 4-1). Finally a title in sight? Answer tonight.