Manchester United and Tottenham are both in control of their Europa League semi-finals after first leg wins, with the Premier League pair on course to meet in the final
Manchester United could enjoy a recovery time advantage of over 42 hours compared to Tottenham Hotspur if the two Premier League clubs reach the Europa League final.
Both the Reds and Spurs are currently favoured to advance from their semi-final matches, having established strong leads in the first legs. United secured an impressive 3-0 victory away against Athletic Bilbao, with a goal from Casemiro and a brace from Bruno Fernandes silencing the San Mames. Meanwhile, Spurs triumphed 3-1 over Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt in North London.
The likelihood of an all-English final has increased, with the potential showdown set for Wednesday, May 21, intriguingly in Bilbao. However, the preparation period for each team would differ significantly.
United would benefit from five days of rest before the final, while Spurs would have only three-and-a-half days. The Reds' forthcoming match against Chelsea was recently rescheduled to be an 8pm kick-off on Friday, May 16, due to the Women's FA Cup final between the same teams on Sunday, May 18.
In contrast, Tottenham are slated to face Aston Villa away on the Sunday, with a 2:15pm kick-off. This means Spurs would have 42 hours and 15 minutes less recovery time than United, reports the Mirror.
Despite this, both sets of supporters might argue that pride is the only thing at stake for United and Tottenham in the Premier League. Both teams have had disappointing league campaigns, with United languishing in 14th place and Spurs faring even worse, sitting just two positions above the relegation zone.
Managers Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou can breathe easy knowing that relegation is not a concern for their teams. Instead, their season's success will hinge on their performances in Europe, with the lofty expectation to make it through to the final and triumph in the Basque region looming over them.
United appear to have a tighter hold on their semi-final ambitions, especially with the advantageous prospect of playing the second leg at home.
Conversely, Bodo/Glimt's captain Ulrik Saltnes netted a late goal to carry some hope into next Thursday's meeting with Tottenham. Spurs must brace themselves for a chilly excursion to the Arctic Circle to seal their progress.
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