Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur face each other in the 2024/25 Europa League final that absolutely no one saw coming. Not sure if anyone, outside of the supporters of the two clubs themselves, wanted this UEL final. After achieving pretty much nothing worthwhile, and sitting in the lower part of the table for most of this season, here they are in a European final, and poised for a trophy lift.
How is this possible? Does this make any sense at all? I don’t know is the response to the first question, while No, is the simple answer to the second.
Europa League Final FYIs
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Kickoff: Wed May 21, 9pm, Estadio San Mames, Bilbao, Spain, CBS Sports Network
Team News: Tottenham Hotspur Man United
Starting XI Predictions: Tottenham Hotspur Man United
Fun Fact: Jose Mourinho, who has managed both these sides, said after the third game in this competition that these two sides were the “biggest candidates” to win it, describing their quality as being on a “different level.”
Mourinho was the last manager to lead United to a European cup win, claiming this competition in 2017.
In their seven concluded continental campaigns since then, they have been knocked out by a Spanish club.
So it appears that in getting past Athletic Club in the semifinals here, those demons have now been exorcised.
It’s also worth noting that the 7-1 aggregate win in that tie is probably the most impressive that we have seen United play this season.
What a coincidence that this final will be staged at Athletic Club’s home ground.
Are United at their best form right now?
Well, you could say maybe, until you looked at their recent Premier League form.
United Starting Lineup Prediction vs Tottenham (UEL Final)
Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Diallo, Ugarte, Casemiro, Mazraoui; Fernandes, Mount; Hojlund
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter