Shamik Chakrabarty
At first glance, this Europa League final is nothing short of a spectacle of chaos. Two teams, both currently the laughing stock of global football, are set to face off. Manchester United, languishing in 16th place in the Premier League with a dismal 39 points from 38 matches, and Tottenham Hotspur, just one point behind at 17th, will battle it out in a clash that feels more like a battle for redemption than a final.
Without Bruno Fernandes, United might have been wrestling with relegation. Meanwhile, Tottenham seemed to have shifted their focus to the Europa League once their Premier League campaign crumbled. Yet, for United, this is far more than just a game—it’s a fight they cannot afford to lose.
Securing the Europa League title brings with it a staggering £100 million jackpot, along with a coveted spot in the Champions League next season. While neither team deserves to grace Europe’s elite competition next year, given their current form, the stakes couldn’t be higher. United, reportedly on track to lose £100 million this financial year, face the grim prospect of further layoffs if they fail to clinch the trophy and the accompanying financial windfall. This, they claim, would be in the name of “balancing the books.”
The club has already undergone two rounds of layoffs, first cutting 250 jobs and then proposing another 200. For Bruno Fernandez and teammates, this final is about more than pride—it’s about the livelihoods of countless ordinary people affected by the decisions of Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, the co-owner overseeing the football operations.
The pre-match press conferences offered a stark contrast in tone. Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou took centre stage with his impassioned “clown” speech, rebuking a journalist who had dared to compare his journey to that of a circus performer. “No matter what happens tomorrow, I am not and never will be a clown,” Postecoglou declared, defending his 26-year career and rejecting the suggestion that failure would reduce him to a joke.
Despite his fiery defence, many believe Postecoglou is on his way out, with rumours swirling about a possible return for Mauricio Pochettino.
On the other side, United’s Ruben Amor exuded calm, backed by the club’s hierarchy to continue regardless of the result. Amor knows he needs a pre-season to mould his team to his vision. His press conference was a mix of optimism and realism. “We need to be excited and confident, but we already know the problems,” he said. “There’s a lot to change—from recruitment to the academy. It’s not something a single trophy can fix.”
This season also saw a UEFA rule change that excluded Champions League dropouts from dropping into the Europa League. If the old rule still applied, we might have seen Manchester City or Juventus in the final instead. But for United and Tottenham fans, the rules are the rules, and the focus remains on the task at hand.
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