The next step of the journey to Bilbao begins...

New York Times

21-05-2025

Follow live from Bilbao today as we build up to the Europa League final between Tottenham and Manchester United Getty Images The Athletic
...and it's a plane from Paris to Biarritz. Getty Images
The two clubs facing off tomorrow have only ever clashed once before in European competition.
That was in the 1963-64 Cup Winners' Cup last 16, which saw Matt Busby's United progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Immortalised by that fabulous photo above. Getty Images
As expected, the only faces missing from Amorim's squad are the injured centre-backs Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt.
The latter took part in an individual training program during Manchester United's open training session this morning, while Martinez is a long-term absentee.
Attacker Chido Obi is ineligible for the Europa League. Getty Images
These are the 26 players travelling to Bilbao as part of Ruben Amorim's squad as they go in search of silverware: Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Dermot Mee, Andre Onana
Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Dermot Mee, Andre Onana Defenders: Harry Amass, Patrick Dorgu, Diogo Dalot, Jonny Evans, Tyler Fredricson, Ayden Heaven, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro
Harry Amass, Patrick Dorgu, Diogo Dalot, Jonny Evans, Tyler Fredricson, Ayden Heaven, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro Midfielders: Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte
Casemiro, Toby Collyer, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte Attackers: Amad, Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee
Loud and proud in sunny Bilbao. Laurie Whitwell/The Athletic
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim claimed his club's fans were so loyal, they would have swum to Bilbao on Spain's northern coast if necessary.
Disappointing, really, that The Athletic 's Carl Anka, Laurie Whitwell, Andy Mitten et al didn't put that claim to the test.
To be fair, Jack Pitt-Brooke did at least take the ferry over! Getty Images
While Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario discussed just how meaningful it would be to lift the trophy in Bilbao tomorrow.
'Yes, it would be massive for the players, for the staff and especially for the fans,' he said.
'We know we can create history for this football club. We know probably next year when we walk through the corridors into the dressing room we will see some photos of us lifting that trophy.
'But now it is not certain, so we have to keep working as best we can to try to arrive on the day as much ready as we can to create history.' Getty Images
Speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow's game, Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven hailed the abilities of team-mate Cristian Romero and United's Matthijs de Ligt, and spoke about what winning a trophy would mean.
He said: 'It will be a big thing. Everybody knows when you join Tottenham, you get the words 'Ah, you're not going to win a trophy', you will be trophy-less the rest of your career.
'All the guys were like, 'We're going to change something about this club'. For us, it's the job now to make this happen in Bilbao.'
'Cuti (Romero) is an unbelievable player,' he added. 'We just feel each other. If he does something, I know how I need to cover him, and he knows how to cover me. He knows how to help in every situation. We have grown into each other. It's an unbelievable connection.
'(De Ligt) was captain at Ajax when he was 18. When I was younger, he was (an inspiration)... When I didn't play professionally, of course you were looking at him and seeing he was showing some quality. Then you think 'I want to be like him'. Getty Images
Five minutes to go until the big one: Ange Postecoglou's pre-match press conference, where he will be joined by Pedro Porro and Son Heung-min.
Really interested to see what sort of mood he is ahead of a game that will unambiguously determine his Tottenham legacy.
Also interested to hear from Son on the memories of the 2019 Champions League final.
Only Son and Ben Davies remain at the club of the Tottenham match-day squad from Madrid six years ago.
We'll bring you quotes as soon as we have them!
Tottenham have already beaten United three times this season, so logic would make them favourites against Ruben Amorim's side tomorrow. But football does not work like that.
Former United captain Gary Neville said on Sky Sports that aside from Bruno Fernandes, he'd favour a Spurs player in every position over the talent available to Amorim.
However, injuries to key midfielders Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski may leave Tottenham light on creativity.
Perhaps the most prominent feather in United's cap is many of their players, even if they are not in great form, have won trophies before.
A culture of winning silverware at Old Trafford has persisted through their down years post-Sir Alex Ferguson, and that does not exist with Tottenham.
If they can focus on the match and not the occasion, Spurs should feel confident about beating United for a fourth time this season and returning to London as Europa League champions. Getty Images
On that debate about whether winning the Europa League should offer a place in the Champions League: I do think it's right for it to do so — even if this is not the very best year to make that argument.
If you consider football to be a big game of Snakes 'n' Ladders, then there are too many snakes on the board, particularly for smaller clubs, or teams from outside the Premier League.
Having the opportunity of making progress through the game via something other than league competition seems healthy, and to promote the kind of mobility which we need more of.
United can expect to earn around £80m from winning this final even if they crash out of next season's Champions League at the first hurdle, with even more in performance-related bonuses on offer depending on how far they progress.
When you consider that — as Sir Jim Ratcliffe revealed — they will write a cheque for £89m this summer to pay for players they've already signed, that is vital revenue that help free up funds for the squad rebuild Amorim still requires.
United have spent like a Champions League club but on a Europa League budget for years now, hence why Ratcliffe has believed it necessary to cut costs across the board, resulting in up to 450 job losses.
Returning to European football's top table would at least help stem the flow of money pouring out of Old Trafford, with the hope that is spent more wisely moving forward. Laurie Whitwell/The Athletic
What a welcome at the hotel! Laurie Whitwell/The Athletic Getty Images
Well, our man Jack Pitt-Brooke spoke to two travelling Tottenham Hotspur supporters Ben and Paul yesterday to found out. All three were on a ferry somewhere in the Bay of Biscay on the way to Bilbao...
The Athletic : How are you feeling about the game?
Ben: I've been a Tottenham fan for 34 years so I know not to be optimistic. I'm trying to remain pessimistic.
Paul: I'm a little bit bolder, I've got a feeling we'll do it. I think the stars are aligning. We've won a quiz as well, we managed to get here with issues to even try and get this trip booked — it's been an absolute nightmare. So I feel optimistic. We've got a better team than Manchester United.
They've got couple of key players Tottenham have to keep an eye on, like Bruno Fernandes, who's going to be key in the game. But I think Tottenham are finally going to break that hoodoo. If Bologna, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, and Harry Kane can do it, Tottenham can do it.
The Athletic : How much would it mean to you guys to see Sonny and the lads lift the trophy on Wednesday night?
Ben: Oh yeah, it's something we've always wanted. We've had season tickets for about six, seven years so it's obviously something that would be incredible for my old man. He's ill back home, can't come to something like this. It'd be incredible.
Paul: I've never been to a final where we've won and I don't want that to be a bad omen, bad vibes, but I didn't go to the 2008 final.
Obviously I've been to other League Cup finals, didn't get to Madrid unfortunately, so to see Tottenham lift the trophy in the flesh would be amazing. And I dread to think what state I might be in, I will probably cry.
My other half always gives me stick for not crying at anything, but Tottenham might actually do that to me. So yeah, I think it could be quite emotional, but I hope we do it.
Talk about trophies has become a stick with which to beat Tottenham in the last 10 or 15 years.
They have won just one trophy since the turn of the 21st century and their last European triumph was in this competition 41 years ago. The League Cup is the last one that was lifted by a Spurs captain and Ledley King was the man with that privilege back in February 2008.
As for United, trophies have still flowed domestically and in Europe despite their Premier League fall from grace since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
Their last trophy was last season, when they beat Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup final. Victory in that gave them their place in this season's Europa League which they might be about to use for a place in the Champions League.
Work smarter, not harder... or something. Jack Pitt-Brooke/The Athletic
I've recently seen my first big group of fans on dry land.
And lads… it's Tottenham.
Outside the 'Swansea' Bar not too far from the stadium.
Shall I go with cautious optimism? Few are openly discussing what decisions the club may make in the event of a defeat, because that scenario is too painful to consider right now.
An eight-game winless streak in the Premier League has brought a return for questions about Amorim's job security.
United fans want to back the head coach, but there is a weariness about committing £100-200million sum to his possible squad rebuild.
'If things continue like this, I can't see him lasting past Christmas' is a quiet, but oft-repeated phrase.
If he does stay, Amorim will need to make sure his team do not continue playing this way into next season. Getty Images
A pretty bold look from Alejandro Garnacho, who was the man behind the ball in the previous image.
England's Paul Gascoigne famously went blond for Euro '96, and Manchester City's Phil Foden imitated the style ahead of his Euro 2020 with England as well.
Infamously, neither team won the tournament.
An inauspicious sign for Manchester United?