Both aiming to end dismal seasons on a high, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will meet in Bilbao for Wednesday’s Europa League final.
Domestic deficiencies can be brushed aside for 90 minutes – or more – as they convene for the sixth all-English UEFA final; like Spurs, United’s European hopes for next season also rest on success at San Mames.
Match preview
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Despite all the doom produced by their Premier League campaign, Tottenham could still finish the 2024-25 season with a long-desired major trophy, having waited 17 years to lift any silverware.
Spurs won the UEFA Cup twice before it eventually developed into the Europa League – in 1972 and 1984 – so victory in Spain would also see them become the second English club to win Europe’s second-tier tournament three times, along with Liverpool.
Of course, their last final appearance was a 2-0 loss to the Merseyside giants in the 2018-19 Champions League, but having emerged from the inaugural league phase and then progressed through the knockout rounds, they are back – and just one win away from proving Ange Postecoglou‘s prophecy right.
Under fire for several months now, ‘Big Ange’ – the first Australian coach to lead a team into a major European final – infamously pointed to his record of always winning a trophy in his second year at any club, and Spurs could now extend that trend.
They made it through to the decider with an ultimately dominant 5-1 aggregate victory over Norwegian ground-breakers Bodo/Glimt, as Dominic Solanke scored in both legs of their semi-final.
After finishing fourth in the league phase – one point behind Manchester United – the London club eliminated AZ Alkmaar and Eintracht Frankfurt before dispatching Bodo, and they have won nine of 14 matches in this season’s Europa League.
While that represents Tottenham’s most ever wins in a single continental campaign, their Premier League form could not contrast more starkly: sitting 17th in the table with one game to play, they have been beaten 21 times in the English top flight.
Most recently, Postecoglou’s side played out a tame 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last Friday night, but they can still glean some comfort from recent domestic meetings with Man Utd.
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Against United this season, Spurs have earned three wins from three: a 3-0 league victory at Old Trafford, then a 4-3 success in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, before a 1-0 home win in February.
In fact, the Manchester side will come into this high-stakes encounter winless in their last six meetings with Tottenham across all competitions.
The clubs’ only previous clash in European competition came in the 1963-64 Cup Winners’ Cup, with the Red Devils progressing to the quarter-finals via a 4-3 aggregate victory.
While Spurs are seeking a first continental title since 1984, United hope to repeat their 2017 Europa League triumph, when they defeated a young Ajax side featuring current squad members Andre Onana and Matthijs de Ligt.
Four years later, they took part in an eighth European final – only Liverpool (15) have reached more among English clubs – but losing on penalties to Villarreal means they have failed to win three of the last four.
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Man Utd made this year’s decider by spoiling the narrative of a cherished home final for Athletic Bilbao, cruising to a 3-0 first-leg triumph in the Basque Country before sealing the deal with a 4-1 home win one week later.
That straightforward success came after an incredible quarter-final tie against Lyon, in which they led by two goals at half time of the second leg before trailing by two in extra time. Two more goals then drew the Red Devils level, setting the stage for Harry Maguire to secure a last-gasp 7-6 aggregate win at Old Trafford.
Having scored 12 goals in their last three games, United have netted 35 throughout this Europa League journey; the only teams ever to score more in a single UEFA Cup or Europa League campaign were Borussia Monchengladbach in 1972-73 (36), Porto in 2010-11 (37), and Chelsea in 2018-19 (36).
Furthermore, Ruben Amorim‘s otherwise inconsistent side are still unbeaten in Europe this term and could become just the fourth team in the Europa League era to win the competition without losing.
Aiming to put some gloss on an awful start to his time in England, Amorim would also become only the third Man Utd manager to lift a major trophy during his first season, after Jose Mourinho in 2016-17 and Erik ten Hag in 2022-23.
However, his team recorded their 18th league loss of the season with Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Chelsea – leaving them one point and one place above Spurs in 16th – and Champions League qualification relies on making another memorable night in Bilbao.
Team News
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While Amorim brought back several regular starters for Friday’s Premier League game, citing the need for match-sharpness, Postecoglou played a weakened team at Villa Park.
So, despite impressing against Aston Villa, Antonin Kinsky will make way for Guglielmo Vicario in goal, with Rodrigo Bentancur, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro also set to return.
Spurs skipper Heung-min Son started for the first time since recovering from a foot injury and could keep his place, but Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin are all ruled out of Wednesday’s final.
Supported by Son, Solanke is set to lead the front line, having registered five goals and four assists in this season’s Europa League; he has also scored in all of his last four appearances against Manchester United.
Meanwhile, United star Bruno Fernandes sits joint-top of the golden boot rankings with seven goals so far, while Rasmus Hojlund is one of several players on six.
Only Lyon’s Rayan Cherki (12) has been directly involved in more Europa League goals this season than United’s inspirational captain (11). Indeed, the only player to manage more in one campaign for an English club was Olivier Giroud, with Chelsea in 2018-19 (15).
Bolstering a misfiring attack, recent returnees Mason Mount and Amad Diallo both made an impact on the second-leg win over Athletic, but Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot are all doubts; Lisandro Martinez and Joshua Zirkzee will not return until next term.
Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Sarr, Bissouma, Bentancur; Johnson, Solanke, Son
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dorgu; Diallo, Fernandes; Hojlund
We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Manchester United (after extra time)
Man Utd can save their season by winning the Europa League for a second time, seeing off Spurs to secure a place in the 2025-26 Champions League.
In a fascinating contest between two unpredictable teams, almost anything can happen at San Mames, but United should hold their nerve to prevail after 30 added minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
