Ruben Amorim did not hold back in his praise for Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham ahead of their Europa League final showdown, sharing exactly what he thinks of the Spurs manager.
Tottenham Hotspur fans are desperate to see their side win a trophy once more, having gone without silverware since lifting the League Cup back in 2008.
The 2024/25 campaign has hardly been one to remember domestically for the North London club, as Tottenham have endured their worst-ever Premier League season, currently sitting in 17th place, one spot above the relegation zone.
Despite the gloom surrounding their league form, the Europa League has offered a beacon of hope, with Tottenham battling their way through the competition and now finding themselves just one game away from ending their long-standing trophy drought.
Ruben Amorim praises Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou ahead of Europa League final
Their final opponents, Manchester United, have not fared much better. The Red Devils are only just above Spurs in 16th place, with their entire season now hinging on the outcome of this final.
Ange Postecoglou would be desperate to back up the fact he stated earlier this campaign that he always wins things in his second season, while Ruben Amorim knows that victory here could provide the perfect launchpad for his own Manchester United managerial career.
The two managers may have different footballing philosophies, but there is no animosity between them. In fact, Amorim was full of praise for Postecoglou’s approach when speaking to BEIN Sports ahead of the clash.
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On Tottenham and Ange, Amorim said: “You can see in our game that we have some things that can help us win, they have a great manager with a great identity, we know how they are going to play, they are really intense, they score a lot of goals and suffer goals also because they want to score all the time.”
Spurs Europa League stats highlight contrast with United
Indeed, Tottenham have looked a different side in Europe compared to their domestic performances.
While Ruben Amorim is right to commend Ange Postecoglou’s side for their attacking threat, it is Manchester United who currently boast the highest goal tally in the competition.
The Red Devils have scored 35 goals in the Europa League, averaging 2.5 per game. Tottenham, by contrast, have found the net 27 times and are averaging 2.3 goals per match.
But where Postecoglou’s men really stand out is in defence. Spurs have conceded just 13 goals in the competition so far, at a rate of 0.9 per game – the third-best defensive record in the tournament.
Manchester United, on the other hand, have allowed 18 goals and are conceding at a rate of 1.3 per match.
On paper, Tottenham look like the more balanced side, but as we all know, finals are rarely won on paper.