Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will face a date with destiny on May 21 when they go head-to-head in the final of the 2024/25 Europa League in Bilbao. Both clubs have endured a miserable season on the domestic front, but can gain some redemption by lifting the trophy in UEFA’s second tier competition.
The game will trigger a football betting frenzy among sports bettors, with bookmakers offering a vast array of markets on the all-Premier League clash. Man United are rated as the favourites with Betway to win the game, but it would be foolish to underestimate Tottenham’s chances of upsetting the odds.
Read on as we look at how United and Spurs reached the final before assessing which team is most likely to emerge victorious at the San Mames Stadium.
The Road to the Final
Tottenham Hotspur
League Phase
- Qarabag (H) – W3-0
- Ferencvaros (A) – W2-1
- AZ Alkmaar (H) – W1-0
- Galatasaray (A) – L3-2
- Roma (H) – D2-2
- Rangers (A) – D1-1
- Hoffenheim (A) – W3-2
- Elfsborg (H) – W3-0
Knockout Stage
- Round of 16 – AZ Alkmaar – W3-2 aggregate
- Quarter-Final – Eintracht Frankfurt – W2-1 aggregate
- Semi-Final – Bodo/Glimt – W5-1 aggregate
Manchester United
League Phase
- FC Twente (H) – D1-1
- Porto (A) – D3-3
- Fenerbahce (A) – D1-1
- PAOK (H) – W2-0
- Bodo/Glimt (H) – W3-2
- Victoria Plzen (A) – W2-1
- Rangers (H) – W2-1
- FCSB (A) – W2-0
Knockout Stage
- Round of 16 – Real Sociedad – W5-2 aggregate
- Quarter-Final – Lyon – W7-6 aggregate
- Semi-Final – Athletic Club – W7-1 aggregate
United Fancied to Overcome Spurs
Man United and Tottenham went into the season with their sights firmly set on challenging at the top end of the Premier League table. Things have not gone to plan, with both teams guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the standings. However, it has been a different story in the Europa League.
After finishing fourth during the league phase, Tottenham have produced several strong performances to progress to the final. Their run has kept manager Ange Postecoglou’s hopes alive of delivering on his assertion that he always wins silverware in his second season at a club.
Tottenham will garner confidence from their recent record against United. They have won four and drawn two of their last six meetings in all competitions. While they are undoubtedly capable of enhancing that record in the final, United are fancied to scupper their hopes of lifting the trophy.
Although Ruben Amorim’s side have been frustratingly inconsistent this season, they have developed a useful habit of stepping things up in big games. They looked in danger of digging themselves into a hole in the second leg of their semi-final against Athletic, before stepping on the gas to win comfortably.
Playmaker Bruno Fernandes has been a standout performer after being sparked into life by criticism from former United star Roy Keane earlier this year. It would be no surprise if Fernandes proved to be the difference maker in a final that is certain to be fiercely fought by two underachieving teams. The stakes are high with a place in next season’s Champions League up for grabs and United are fancied to get the job done.
Winning the Europa League Is Vital for Both Clubs
Having failed to live up to expectations in domestic competitions, Man United and Tottenham can ill-afford to end the season empty-handed. Securing a place in UEFA’s top tier competition would hand a significant financial boost to the winners, which cranks up the pressure on both teams.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire painted a grim picture in a recent interview with BBC Sport, particularly from United’s perspective.
A good season in the Champions League can be worth far in excess of £100 million. By the time you combine gate receipts, sponsor bonuses and the prize money available, the numbers involved are eye-watering.
Maguire has calculated that a perfect set of results in the group stage would earn a club £22m. United’s previous record in Europe would also enhance their potential earnings.
Maguire added,
The prize money is enhanced by UEFA’s ‘value pillar’ linked to a club’s European competition success over the past five years and the amount the domestic broadcaster pays for the rights.
Manchester United are probably about 12th in the UEFA rankings and could therefore expect to earn at least £1m per position out of the 36 teams in the Champions League, so this could be worth another £24m.
The rewards start to accelerate once a club reaches the knockout stage, with about an extra £20m, for example, for reaching the quarter-finals and £54m for the winners.
A modest run to the quarter-finals is therefore likely to generate a possible UEFA payout of £73m from prize money alone.