*Match preview and betting tips provided by SVB Tips
Historically, there have been five all-English finals in European competitions, with Tottenham featuring in two. However, in Europa League history, this is only the second such occurrence—the last was in 2019, when Chelsea defeated Arsenal 4-1.
Since the competition's inception in 1971, 30 different clubs have lifted the trophy. Sevilla remains the most successful, winning it seven times without ever losing a final.
Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for their fourth Europa League final, having won it twice (1972 and 1984). In 1974, they lost the final to Feyenoord—drawing 2-2 at home and losing 0-2 in the Netherlands.
Despite significant investment, the club’s trophy cabinet has been gathering dust, since their last piece of silverware came in the 2007–08 League Cup under Juande Ramos. Since then, Tottenham have cycled through seven managers, including big names like Mauricio Pochettino, José Mourinho, and Antonio Conte.
Tottenham finished fourth in the group phase with 17 points—just two behind leaders Lazio. At home, they dropped only two points (in a draw with AS Roma), and away from home, they recorded two wins, one draw, and one loss.
In the knockout rounds, they defeated AZ Alkmaar 3-2 on aggregate, then surprisingly beat Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany to reach the semifinals. There, they eliminated Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, winning both legs by two goals—5-1 on aggregate.
Spurs have won 9 of their 14 matches in this European campaign (3 draws, 2 losses), surpassing the number of wins in their 1972, 1974, and 2006–07 runs.
Striker Brennan Johnson, signed from Nottingham Forest for €55 million, is their top scorer this season with 17 goals and 4 assists. He has missed only two Europa League matches due to injury (against Hoffenheim and Elfsborg).
Dominic Solanke has scored in each of his last four appearances against Manchester United. Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013, only Mohamed Salah has managed a longer scoring streak against them—five consecutive matches between January 2021 and March 2023.
Manager Ange Postecoglou is the first Australian coach to reach a European final. Since arriving in Europe in 2021, he’s won five domestic trophies with Celtic. Despite being close to qualifying for the Champions League last season, his results with Tottenham have been underwhelming this term, and speculation about his future has increased—though winning this final could save his job.
In the Premier League, Spurs have struggled, sitting in 17th place with one game left—just above the relegation zone with 38 points. Although they’ve scored 63 goals (a tally bettered by only five teams), they’ve managed just 11 wins.
Unavailable players include Radu Drăgușin, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Dane Scarlett (injuries). Antoine Kinsky, Timo Werner, Fraser Forster, and Sergio Reguilón are not registered for UEFA competitions, while Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr are doubtful.
According to the odds, Manchester United enter as the slight favourites to lift the trophy, despite having lost all of their three most recent encounters against the London side.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, Manchester United have won only one European trophy: the 2016–17 Europa League under José Mourinho, defeating Ajax 2-0 in the final.
Eight years later, they return to the final with high hopes of repeating that success. A win would make them the fourth English club to win the Europa League at least twice—after Liverpool (3), Chelsea (2), and Tottenham (2).
United qualified directly into the league phase of this competition and remained unbeaten in eight matches (5 wins, 3 draws), finishing third—just one point behind Lazio and Athletic Bilbao.
In the quarterfinals, they faced Real Sociedad. After a 1-1 draw in Spain, they came from behind to win 4-1 at Old Trafford. A dramatic semifinal followed against Lyon—trailing 2-4 in extra time, United scored three goals in seven minutes to secure the win.
Boosted by that comeback, they went on to dominate Athletic Bilbao in the semifinals, winning 7-1 on aggregate.
During this campaign, they’ve scored 35 goals—surpassed only by Borussia Mönchengladbach (36 in 1972–73), Porto (37 in 2010–11), and Chelsea (36 in 2018–19).
Captain Bruno Fernandes is the team’s standout performer with 19 goals and 17 assists in 54 competitive matches this season. A key figure in midfield, he’s missed only one Europa League game (against Fenerbahçe due to suspension).
Rúben Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag, could become only the third United manager to win a major trophy in his first season—following Mourinho and Ten Hag. He could also become the third coach to win a European title with an English club before turning 41, after Howard Kendall (Cup Winners' Cup at 38) and Gianluca Vialli (Cup Winners’ Cup at 33).
Unavailable players include Lisandro Martínez and Chido Obi, while Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, and Jonny Evans are doubtful.
Last five meetings:
- Feb 16, 2025 | Tottenham 1-0 Man United
- Dec 19, 2024 | Tottenham 4-3 Man United (League Cup)
- Sep 29, 2024 | Man United 0-3 Tottenham
- Jan 14, 2024 | Man United 2-2 Tottenham
- Aug 19, 2023 | Tottenham 2-0 Man United
Betting Suggestions:
- Tottenham to Win: They’ve won 3 of the last 5 direct encounters and come in with psychological momentum.
- Both Teams to Score – Yes: Given attacking quality and recent high-scoring head-to-heads (e.g., 4-3, 2-2).
- Over 2.5 Goals: Strong offensive records from both sides; United scored 35 goals this campaign.
- Anytime Goalscorer: Dominic Solanke: Scored in last 4 matches vs. United.
- Anytime Goalscorer: Bruno Fernandes: 19 goals this season, consistent threat.
- Double Chance: Tottenham or Draw: Spurs’ recent dominance over United makes this a solid safety pick.