Micah Richards and Gary Lineker could not see eye to eye on one contentious issue surrounding the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham.
Manchester United knocked Athletic Club out of the Europa League semi-finals last Thursday after the Red Devils came from behind at Old Trafford in the return leg.
The Red Devils went 1-0 down in the first half against the La Liga outfit before mounting a second-half comeback and United sealed a 4-1 win over Athletic Club.
United held the advantage over Athletic Club going into the second leg after Ruben Amorim’s side had beaten the 10-man Spanish side in the first leg earlier this month.
United punched their ticket to the Europa League final and Tottenham secured their place in the final after overcoming Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals.
Spurs defeated Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before Ange Postecoglou’s men defeated the Eliteserien outfit 2-0 in the return leg.
The Europa League final between United and Tottenham will be staged at Athletic Club’s San Mames Stadium on 21st May, with kick-off slated for 8pm UK time.
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United and Tottenham are vying to secure the Europa League trophy to ensure their place in Europe for the 2025-26 campaign and play in the Champions League again.
Micah Richards and Gary Lineker argue over the Champions League ‘reward’ for the Europa League winner out of Man Utd and Tottenham
Manchester United languish in 16th place and Ruben Amorim’s men are only one point above 17th-place Tottenham with only two Premier League matches left.
The Red Devils will end the season with their worst finish in the Premier League era, while Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou faces immense pressure over his future.
United have lost 17 times in the Premier League alone in the 2024-25 campaign and Spurs have suffered 20 losses in the league amid their respective woeful seasons.
The poor form of United and Tottenham in the Premier League has sparked debates around the Europa League winner getting into the Champions League.
Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer discussed the remarks of former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger about the Europa League and the Champions League.
Arsene Wenger suggested that the Europa League winner should not receive automatic passage to the Champions League for the following campaign.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards said: “It’s only been highlighted because Spurs and Man United have been so bad in the league. That’s the reward for winning it!”
Lineker added: “It’s not like they’ve thrown this in at the last minute, it’s been like that for a few years.”
Responding to fellow The Rest Is Football podcast co-host Lineker, Richards explained: “It doesn’t sit well with me though that you can be so bad in the league, win a trophy, and then get Champions League football, it’s supposed to be the consistency throughout the season.
“But rules are rules, I don’t think we should start debating that now, it’s been like that for a while and you just roll with it.”
Alan Shearer’s verdict on the Champions League debate around the 2025 Europa League final between Man Utd and Tottenham
Alan Shearer also dropped his two cents amid Gary Lineker and Micah Richards’ discourse around the Europa League winner entering the Champions League.
Speaking on the debate, the Premier League legend said: “That competition’s different this year because the teams that drop out of the Champions League usually go into the Europa League, so I think the standard in that competition has probably not been as high as it has been, hence why teams that are going to finish fourth and fifth bottom of the Premier League are going to be in the Champions League.
“It’s incredible, really, when you think about it. Fourth and fifth bottom of the Premier League, Man United and Spurs, oh my goodness, it’s like… wow.”
United will return to Premier League action on Friday evening against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge before the Europa League final vs Tottenham next Wednesday.