Manchester United vs. Tottenham in the Europa League final: Losers' Cup

"Our season has been a disappointment," sighed Spurs coach Ange Postecoglou before the semi-final second leg victory at FK Bodö/Glimt (2-0, first leg 3-1). "But how often will you be in a position to win a title like this?" The obvious answer, which Postecoglou, of course, didn't utter: Hopefully never again. After all, we'd rather play in the Champions League than this strange Europa League.

When it comes to Tottenham's final opponents on May 21 at Bilbao's Estadio de San Mames, it's hard not to think differently. "The Champions League can change everything," United manager Ruben Amorim recently explained in a press conference. Fun fact: The Portuguese was actually asked about the significance of the Europa League title. "When you're in the Champions League, you have a different budget to field a better team for the following season," Amorim explained with brutal honesty – as if he hadn't even noticed the term "Europa League."

The rule is well known: Whoever wins the Europa League automatically gets a Champions League ticket for the following season – regardless of their domestic league standings. Arséne Wenger would prefer to abolish this mechanism: "[The Europa League winners] should automatically qualify for the Europa League again, but not necessarily for the Champions League," complained the "Director of Global Football Development" at FIFA, "especially not if they play in the Premier League, where five teams can already qualify."

To explain: Due to the strong overall performance of English clubs in the current European Cup season, the Premier League has been given an additional fifth starting place for the upcoming Champions League season. The Europa League final between Tottenham and United now adds a sixth. "I think this is something UEFA should think about and review," Wenger warned. "On the other hand, they will say that they have to offer [the Europa League winner] this reward to maintain focus, interest, and motivation in this competition." Sad. But true.

"This rule has been in place for a while, so I'm surprised by the criticism," Postecoglou countered former Arsenal manager Wenger's interjection with a grim expression. "That's just how it is with Spurs: We're always a topic of conversation that gets people excited, and that's exactly what I love about us." Now Postecoglou is planning the ultimate affront: "If our Europa League win causes discontent, I'm all the more pleased."

The real story of the 2024/25 Europa League season, however, was written by others, clubs from the second and third tiers: There was, for example, Athletic Bilbao's great dream of a final in their home football cathedral, which only came to an end with the tragic 3-0 home defeat in the first leg of the semi-final against United (1-4 second leg). Or the historic feat of the small FK Bodö/Glimt, which led the Black and Yellows via Porto, Belgrade, Tel Aviv, Enschede, Piraeus, and Rome – all the way to a European semi-final. A sensational coup that no Norwegian club had ever achieved before.

Instead of Athletic and Bodö/Glimt, we'll now see two (fallen) giants from England in the final, for whom winning the Europa League apparently means as much as a consolation prize at a fairground ticket booth. Tottenham and United aren't playing in Bilbao for the former UEFA Cup, which Franz Beckenbauer already denigrated as the "Losers' Cup" in the 1990s, but for the Champions League millions.

Both clubs have missed out on this jackpot prematurely and resoundingly in the current Premier League season: United are only in 15th place with three games remaining, and Spurs are even one place behind. However, the Manchester mega-club, in particular, needs the Champions League cash like a morsel of bread. The former perennial Premier League champions are in a weaker sporting and financial position than ever before in their 147-year history. Their liabilities amounted to almost one billion euros (!) at the end of 2024 – and the trend is steadily rising.

A win in the Bilbao final could net Man United at least €120 million, according to BBC calculations. This amount is comprised of the Europa League title bonus, but primarily the appearance and points bonuses for the upcoming Champions League season, as well as sponsorship bonuses. Money, money, and more money, which is traditionally thrown down the drain at the big English clubs.

United coach Amorim has already called for a bold summer transfer offensive if they win the Europa League. After the recent 4-3 defeat in the league at Brentford, where the Portuguese was testing the durability of his second kit, he lamented to the public: "We're simply not at the point where we can be competitive in the Premier League and play in the Champions League at the same time. It's a real dilemma."

The second-tier Europa League, on the other hand, can easily be won by a 15th or 16th-placed English team. The only question now is: Who will win the big prize? Spurs, who have consistently squandered almost every title opportunity in recent decades? Or the historically successful United? "We have to win," Amorim emphasizes, "we have to fight to win this trophy and thus advance to the Champions League."