Key events
Manchester United get the second half underway. No changes.
Another delve into the half-time postbag. “This game has been abject so far. Most of the time has been spent rolling on the floor. Man Utd have mustered an xG of 0.21, whilst Spurs have only had 37% of the ball. Both teams look bereft of ideas and lacking confidence. It’s easy to see why both of these teams are so far down the Premier League table” – Steven Grundy
“It would only be fitting if there was a scuffed equaliser here, with the game dragging on into the 129th minute, only for it to be decided by a fluffed panenka in the penalty shoot-out” – Mark Hooper
“The disrespect for two teams in a European final on this feed is appalling. Yes, they have been poor in the league this season, but this is still a major tournament and 99% of football fans will never see their club on this stage. Banter is all well and good, but show some respect” – Edward O’Brien
Uefa have reportedly given the goal to Brennan Johnson. I’d file that one under “For Now”.
Half-time postbag. “Sometimes when two teams from the same country and division meet in Europe there’s a decision to be made over how to approach it. Play it like a premier league game or treat it as you would any other European tie. The Liverpool v Forest game in 1978 as a prime example. It’s the type of dilemma that’s faced great teams and managers for decades. Here Spurs and United have tried to find a third way – treat it like a non-league game” – Chris Kempshall
“Somehow, terribly, it would be perfect if this European final between the sixteenth and seventeenth best teams in the Premiership was decided by a scrappy own goal” – Peadar de Burca
“That goal is a microcosm of our entire season. Scrappy, awful, ugly, but at the end of it Brennan Johnson appears with a goal. And yes, it was an own goal by Shaw, but who cares? That lad has had so much terrible criticism and hate directed at him this season: now he turns up to create that goal on the biggest stage of his life!” – Alexandra Ashton
“I feel that the Premier League might be wishing for a chyron for international viewers constantly reminding them the position of these two teams in the league” – Ian Usher
“What’s the funniest outcome here? Spurs continuing their streak without a trophy? Or Sir Jim having to cancel the big team barbecue? I’m leaning towards Sir Jim having to throw out all the yellow stickered meat he’s bought following a Spurs victory” – Jonny Bull
Half-time entertainment. It’s topical.
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester United
It’s been scrappy. The goal was super-scrappy. Like Spurs care right now.
45 min +2: Another chance for Fernandes to send a free kick into the Spurs box, this time from the left. He looks long for Maguire but Romero heads clear. Diallo crosses from the right but Vicario comes miles off his line to claim. A huge cheer from the Spurs fans.
45 min: There will be two minutes of additional time.
44 min: Fernandes tries to hit back immediately, sending a free kick into the Spurs mixer from the right flank. It’s hooked clear by Bissouma. United come again, Casemiro dinking a pass down the inside-right for Fernandes, who shoots first time, but it’s instantly blocked by Van de Ven.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester United (Shaw 42 og)
Out of nothing! Sarr crosses from the left. Johnson arrives at the near post. He swings a boot at the ball. He doesn’t connect properly, slicing the ball behind him. It hits Shaw and drops, in super slo-mo, into the bottom left, just out of Onana’s desperate swipe!
40 min: Diallo jinks in from the right and bobbles a shot straight at Vicario. “I can’t believe that when you referenced these two teams’ only previous meeting in European competition, that the phrase ‘oh, what a night’ didn’t feature,” writes Simon McMahon. “Or that four seasons later United would be champions of England.”
39 min: This is pretty scrappy.
37 min: Yoro tries to shepherd the ball back to Onana, but the keeper doesn’t show. Yoro dithers, and is nearly stripped by a combination of Bissouma and Sarr. The ball ricochets back to the keeper, and the danger for United is over.
36 min: It’s a free kick in a dangerous position, but Porro’s delivery is no good.
35 min: Udogie is about to race off down the inside-left channel. Diallo grabs a huge handful of his shirt. The pair keep sprinting, though, and eventually Fernandes turns up to foul Udoigie. Then Diallo goes into the book.
34 min: Bissouma zips down the left touchline and is slyly brought to ground by Mazraoui’s knee. The referee waves play on. Spurs not happy. It should have been a free kick, but nothing more.
32 min: Some more joy for Diallo as he races down the right wing. He’s got time and space, but blasts a wild cross over everyone’s head. Good field position wasted.
30 min: Diallo is causing some bother down the right. He sends Udogie this way and that before crossing low. Yoro waits to sidefoot home, but Johnson slides in to hook the cross clear. Then Romero goes down, having taken an accidental arm in the chops from Hojlund. There didn’t look any malicious intent in that, and thankfully Tottenham’s captain for the day is good to continue.
29 min: Some head tennis, then the corner is cleared.
28 min: Udogie crosses long from the left. Dorgu, under no pressure, needlessly chests it behind for a corner. Communication with Onana up the spout. Porro to deliver.
26 min: Onana hoicks a long free kick out on the full. He has the good grace to look a bit sheepish. “Picking up on Kári Tulinius’s religious theme, I spent some time in Pisa’s cathedral yesterday and in Lucca’s today,” reports Gary Naylor. “Red devils are an ever-present, but invisible presence in the medieval iconography. As, indeed, they are in United’s midfield when they don’t have the ball.”
24 min: Solanke spins into a little space and looks to launch a counter attack. Casemiro brings him down from behind. The Spurs players want a yellow card, but the referee’s not going to do that. It would have been a soft booking, but you’ve seen them given for less. There wasn’t much contact, but Casemiro certainly knew what he was doing.
23 min: Johnson and Bentancur pair up to foul Mount out on the left. Fernandes looks long for Maguire, who can’t connect. But United continue to pin Spurs back in their own final third.
21 min: Yep, United have had 66 percent of the possession so far. Amad slips Fernandes into the box down the right. A first-time low cross is smothered by Vicario.
20 min: Manchester United are beginning to impose themselves in terms of possession, if nothing else. “Nice to see Jim turning up for this one,” writes John Potter. “Well there’s at least £100 million at stake, so I guess it’s right up his street.”
18 min: Richarlison crosses from the left. Sarr tries to control on the left corner of the six-yard box, but a combination of Shaw and Maguire bullies him out of it. “San Mamés is named for the Third Century martyr Saint Mammes,” begins Kári Tulinius. “His legend goes that he was once thrown to the lions, but after he preached to them, they fell asleep at his feet, which doesn’t bode well for the match’s fun level. But he was then stabbed in the belly with a trident, so maybe we’ll get one exciting incident.”
16 min: … Diallo picks up possession at the far stick and sends a screamer across goal and inches wide of the left-hand post. Any touch and that was in.
15 min: United were struggling for a bit there, but they look much more confident when they’re on the attack. Maguire wedges long down the inside-left channel. Dorgu telescopes a leg to hook into the centre. Romero doesn’t know what’s behind him so deflects out for a corner. From which …
13 min: Porro curls the free kick low into the six-yard box. A pinball game breaks out. Richarlison tries to swivel and prod home but his effort is blocked out by a combination of Dorgu and Mount. Another corner … and it’s another corner that comes to nothing. Both defences looking really shaky.
12 min: Maguire plays a poor backpass down the right, letting Johnson take up possession and scamper into the box. Johnson’s low cross is batted out by Onana, but only to Sarr, who shoots. Onana blocks again. United don’t get the ball clear and Mazraoui leaps over Richarlison out on the left. Free kick in a dangerous position.
10 min: Onana deals with Porro’s corner, a strong punch making up for the uncertainty that led to the set piece in the first place.
9 min: United try to play it out from the back. They don’t manage it, Tottenham snapping at their heels. Porro crosses long from the right. Onana comes to claim then goes back to his line. Richarlison hopes to head home at the far stick from six yards, but Mazraoui gets in ahead of him, just in time, to flick out for a corner.
7 min: Bissouma heads long down the inside-left channel and for a second it looks like Richarlison will be able to take up possession and romp towards the box. But Casemiro comes across to put a stop to the striker’s gallop.
5 min: The corner’s half cleared, then the ball’s returned in the speculative style. Vicario hesitates when he should come off his line to collect, and he’s very fortunate that Hojlund, who nips in to steal the loose ball, can’t tee up Fernandes for a shot. A nervous start by Tottenham.
4 min: Romero bowls Hojlund to the floor out on the United left. Fernandes swings the free kick into the mixer. Maguire wins a header at the far post, but Udogie should clear it. However he shanks nervously behind for a corner.
3 min: … but it doesn’t matter because, when Porro swings it in, Van de Ven skittles Maguire. No controversy here!
2 min: Spurs had already conceded a penalty by now in their last European final. So onwards and upwards. A long pass down the right. Shaw tries to usher it out for a goal kick, but Johnson forces him into the concession of a corner. Shaw not happy. It might have taken a flick off Johnson last.
United get into their huddle. Spurs enter United’s half, walk around the huddle, and go towards their fans before forming a huddle of their own … then run back to their half to prepare for kick-off. Mind games before we start? Then Spurs get the ball rolling. Here we go!
The teams have to wait a while in the tunnel … but eventually emerge to a tumultuous reception. Bilbao is absolutely banging right now. Noise, excitement, anticipation, joy, the palpable jangle of nerves. Tottenham Hotspur are in their famous lilywhite, Manchester United their storied red. As the camera pans across both teams enduring the Uefa anthem, Leny Yoro looks the most laid-back of the United team, a gum-chewing Yves Bissouma the most insouciant of Tottenham’s. We’ll be off in two shakes!
Another rummage in the pre-match postbag. “Apart from that Fulham game in his first season, Big Ange has taken cup competitions seriously. If Tottenham manage to win tonight under his management, he should get a long-term contract. After all there’ll always be three worse teams than Tottenham, no one can replicate Pochettino so don’t bother about league and focus on cups. A recipe for thrilling season on annual basis. If Spurs lose, start with Ange Postecoglou again. I’ve had way too many issues with him this season to the point he should’ve been sacked. But the feeling of reaching a cup final overpowers everything” – Yash Gupta
“As I wrote to Daniel Harris at the end of the Utd vs Bilbao semi final: the problem for Man Utd now is that while the Europa League campaign has worked well, the final is a Premier League match” – Michael Meagher
“Forty-one years ago, I was in the not-yet-renamed* Praterstadion, where a 2-2 in the quarter-final second leg was not enough for my beloved Austria Vienna to derail Tottenham’s victorious Uefa Cup campaign. Alan Brazil and Ossie Ardiles scored that day, and the Spurs fans on the subway were vocal, but well-behaved. (* = Later named after Ernst Happel, twice a Uefa Cup losing finalist, with Club Bruges and HSV)” – Goon Koch
“If Spurs win, bragging rights over Arsenal who last won a European trophy 31 years ago in a competition which no longer exists. If Manchester United win, they can point to the fact they’ve won three trophies in three consecutive seasons (League Cup in 2023, FA Cup in 2024, Europa League in 2025) and very few Premier League clubs do that” – Des Brown
Both sets of fans are making themselves heard at San Mamés. It’s been party time in the ground for a good while now. It’s some sight as well: a sea of blue and white flags being fluttered at one end, red, white and black down the other. “I don’t find it strange that fans are in the stadium early,” begins Richard Hirst. “When Fulham got to the Europa League final in 2010 I went in to the stadium as soon as the gates opened. (What else is there to do in Hamburg?!) It was fantastic/awe-inspiring/emotional to stand high up, look round at the stadium and think that your team, who you never imagined would play in a European final, would be walking out on to that turf. There may have been tears (see also Wembley 1975). Also, it was a Europa League final where an English club had beaten the host club on the way to the final. It didn’t end well for Fulham in Hamburg, so let’s hope that’s a good omen for Spurs tonight.”
The Europa League / Uefa Cup roll of honour. Spurs are looking for their third success in Uefa’s secondary competition tonight, United their second. Here’s where they currently stand on the all-time list.
7: Sevilla
3: Internazionale, Liverpool, Juventus, Atlético Madrid
2: Borussia Mönchengladbach, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, Feyenoord, Eintracht Frankfurt, Göteborg, Real Madrid, Parma, Porto, Chelsea
1: Anderlecht, Bayer Leverkusen, Ajax, MANCHESTER UNITED, PSV Eindhoven, Ipswich Town, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Schalke, Galatasaray, Valencia, CSKA Moscow, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Villarreal, Atalanta
Pre-match postbag. “As someone who was lucky enough to have spent six months of a master’s degree living in Bilbao, during Marcelo Bielsa’s reign when they thrashed Manchester United home and away en route to the final, I can’t help but feel it’s a travesty that Athletic aren’t playing tonight. But then, like back in 2012, they’re quite good at bottling it. A bit Spursy, almost” – James Walter
“I’ve been a long distance Spurs supporter since 1975 and has seen a fair amount of disaster and too few trophy highlights (all on the telly). With that success rate it would probably be better for the outcome of the final if I supported my three Danish countrymen in the United squad tonight – but I’ll keep hoping for a little bit of recent glory. COYS!” – Lars Bøgegaard
“Lads, it’s United vs Tottenham. It is not every day you get to watch a Europa League final where both sets of fans are singing ‘you’ll be sacked in the morning’, and we’re not even sure about which coach” – Ben Barclay
“Could the convergence on San Mamés be the largest amassment of British legions in this part of Spain since the Peninsular War of the early 19th century? Interestingly, the term guerrilla warfare came out of this conflict, and I have a feeling that we will see plenty of this tactic on the pitch today. Irregular attacks, unexpected ambushes, chaos in the ranks, panicked retreats, close combat, attrition and ragged glory” – Peter Oh
Our man David Hytner is watching all of the red-carpet arrivals in Cannes San Mamés. “Just got to the ground to see Ian Wright being serenaded on his way into the VIP entrance by a large group of Spurs fans. Which certainly made him smile. David Dein, too, who was with him, along with Theo Paphitis. Bumped into Thomas Tuchel moments before and it really is one of those occasions when the stars are out. The anticipation is building!”
Ruben Amorim talks to TNT. “I am relaxed now … I did my job … now it’s with my players and I am really confident … I really enjoyed the last two trainings … when you have these kind of trainings you feel relaxed, so I trust in the guys … so I have that feeling and I’m really confident … Mason Mount in this moment gives us a balance … really good attacking but one extra midfielder … also to have speed on the bench … legs to change the game … in the beginning it is really important to feel the game and we are getting better at that … the result is not going to change so much [regarding transfers] … it can help to add one more if we need … the most important thing is the feeling of winning … we need to deliver that feeling … I am not thinking about the money … we will arrange money because we are a big brand … we are a club that needs that feeling … without trophies it’s really hard to get a connection … we are getting better … this team can step up … I truly believe my players are going to do it.”
Ange Postecoglou speaks to TNT. “A great feeling … a special night … as a club we haven’t had too many of these moments recently so it’s important we take it tonight … we’re looking forward to it … the moments you remember … the stuff you share with your family … we’re going to need some running power tonight … we’re going to have to work hard … United are a tough opponent … a couple of key players we have to shut down … we’re going to have to be really disciplined … it’s a final … form doesn’t count for much … head-to-head record doesn’t count for much … it’s all about today … we all come and go but the fans are the constant … we want to give something back.”
Ange Postecoglou has gone with Richarlison ahead of Son Heung-min up front. The Spurs captain has been struggling with a foot problem, and takes a place on the bench. Pape Matar Sarr is the only starter for the 2-0 loss at Aston Villa to keep his place.
Ruben Amorim prefers Mason Mount to Alejandro Garnacho up front. Joshua Zirkzee, previously thought to have been out for the season, is named as a sub. There’s only one change to the starting XI from the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea, with Leny Yoro coming in for Viktor Lindelof.
The teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Sarr, Bissouma, Bentancur, Johnson, Solanke, Richarlison.
Subs: Austin, Whiteman, Danso, Son, Tel, Gray, Spence, Odobert, Davies, Scarlett, Moore, Ajayi.
Manchester United: Onana, Yoro, Maguire, Shaw, Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu, Diallo, Mount, Hojlund.
Subs: Bayindir, Lindelof, Zirkzee, Eriksen, Garnacho, Dalot, Ugarte, Heaven, Evans, Mainoo, Amass, Collyer.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany).
How Spurs reached the final. They beat Qarabağ, Ferencváros, AZ, Hoffenheim and Elfsborg during the group, finishing comfortably in fourth. They’ve since beaten AZ in the round of 16, Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarters thanks to a Big Ange Defensive Masterclass (!), and the first Norwegian team to reach the semi-finals of any European competition.
How United reached the final. They had to wait until matchday four for their first mega-league victory, but then beat PAOK, Bodø/Glimt, Viktoria Plzeň, Rangers and FCSB en route to third place. They’ve subsequently seen off both Basque giants in Real Sociedad and Athletic Club of Bilbao, relatively easy victories sandwiching an absurd one over Lyon.
Both of these clubs have contested an all-English final in Europe before. Tottenham Hotspur won the very first Uefa Cup final, in 1972, by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 on aggregate. The decisive and most memorable moment of the two matches was the Martin Chivers thriker at the end of the first leg at Molineux. Manchester United saw off Chelsea on penalties in the 2008 Champions League final after a 1-1 draw at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. The most memorable moment of that one? Oh JT.
The clubs have faced each other many times back home, naturally. Manchester United have the upper hand here as well, with 95 wins to Tottenham’s 57 (and 52 draws). But while the overall history skews red, the recent stuff is pure lilywhite. Spurs are unbeaten against United in the last six, wining four and drawing two. They’ve won all three of their previous meetings this season, the high-point being the 3-0 rout at Old Trafford last September.
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have met each other in Europe before. A long time ago. In December 1963, Spurs were the holders of the Cup Winners’ Cup, United the most recent FA Cup winners. They were drawn in the second round of the Cup Winners’ Cup, and Spurs won the first leg at White Hart Lane thanks to a Dave Mackay piledriver and Terry Dyson taking late opportunistic advantage of a careless Tony Dunne backpass.
A week later, the second leg at Old Trafford was just seven minutes old when Mackay – described by this paper as “barrel-chested and bursting with energy” – broke a leg in an accidental collision with Noel Cantwell. United had already by this point taken the lead through a David Herd header, but Tottenham’s ten remaining men battled hard, and though Herd scored again just after the break, Jimmy Greaves restored his team’s aggregate advantage almost immediately after. United’s numerical advantage eventually told, though, and Bobby Charlton scored twice in the last 13 minutes to see Matt Busby’s side through.
Whether it was worth United’s bothering is a moot point. In the quarter finals, they beat Sporting Club 4-1 at Old Trafford, only to capitulate 5-0 in Lisbon three weeks later. Still, they were a team generally trending in a positive direction, with George Best about to be folded into the mix. Bill Nicholson’s glory-glory side were heading the other way, Mackay’s injury ending his imperial phase, John White soon cruelly taken away by a bolt of lightning. A pivotal tie for both clubs, in retrospect. And here we are again.
Preamble
C’mon kids, let’s stop talking this down. Because while it might be true that …
… yeah, that … because while that might be true, two genuine European heavyweights are facing off in Bilbao tonight. For a proper European trophy. Never mind what it means for Champions League qualification, the size of the summer purse, the destiny of the managers … silvery shimmering glory is up for grabs here, and you can be sure that’s what every last one of the fans who have battled so hard to wind their way down to Bilbao are preoccupied with. So yes, let’s stop talking this down. Up! Up! Up! It’s the Europa League final! It’s Tottenham Hotspur! It’s Manchester United! It could well be a wild nonsensical classic!!! Kick-off is at 9pm Basque o’clock, 8pm BST. It’s on.
