Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven insists his team will walk into the Europa League final without a shred of fear against Manchester United. The rock-solid Dutchman, instrumental in Spurs' string of European clean sheets including their most recent outing in Norway against Bodo/Glimt, is bullish about facing Ruben Amorim's outfit in Bilbao later this month.
He said of the Red Devils: "They played Athletic Club, a really good team and it was 7-1 over the two games. So they've also shown some real quality in Europe. We knew it's going to be a different game, everything can happen in a final but we're not going there with fear, of course. We know our qualities, we know it's going to be a difficult game as Man United have also shown their quality in this European campaign."
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Spurs are on a path to shatter a 17-year trophy drought while also harking back to a bygone era โ it's been 41 years since Tottenham last hoisted European silverware (the UEFA Cup). Yet, van de Ven is certain that coach Ange Postecoglou's side can overturn their fate by capping off a turbulent season with the ultimate prize.
He declared: "Everybody goes to Bilbao to win a trophy. It has been a tough season and it will only be successful if we win the Europa League and get that trophy.
"To be in a European final with Tottenham is a big thing for the fans, the club and me personally, I'm really proud to be part of it."
Recovering from an early-season hamstring setback which reduced his group stage contribution to just 135 minutes, Van de Ven returned to form, pairing up with the influential skipper Cristian Romero for a commanding performance in the Arctic Circle.
Van de Ven lavished praise on the exceptional Argentine, acknowledging his leadership qualities in Son Heung-min's absence.
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Van de Ven remarked: "Cuti's an unbelievable player. You can see that mentality wise. With the ball, without the ball, he knows how it is to play these types of games.
"You can see it in how he is, he shows so much to the rest, he helps the whole team. About our partnership, with Cuti we feel each other, he knows what to do, I know what to do, we back each other."
Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke, who scored in both legs of the semi-final, cautioned his team-mates against complacency, despite having defeated Manchester United three times this season.
Solanke commented: "Yeah, a little bit, but obviously it's going to be a completely different game, different circumstances. Finals are never easy.
"We're both in the final for a reason, we've both done well in Europe, so we know it's going to be a difficult game. Pressure is a privilege, when you're at big clubs, you always want to be fighting for silverware."