The Mirror

Ange Postecoglou has sent a message about his future as Tottenham Hotspur staged an open-top bus parade to celebrate their win over Manchester United in the Europa League final

Ange Postecoglou has told Tottenham Hotspur fans that "season three is better than season two" as they gathered to celebrate their Europa League win with an open-top bus parade on Friday.

Postecoglou's future has been the subject of huge speculation in recent weeks due to Spurs' poor Premier League form. Tottenham currently sit 17th in the Premier League with one game left to play and only the three relegated teams have picked up less points.

However, the Australian guided Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years as they beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final. The victory came after he memorably stated earlier in the campaign that he "always" wins a trophy in his second season at a club.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham will stick with Postecoglou next season, but the Australian certainly appears confident that he is the right man for the job. As he addressed a cheering crowd of fans outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Postecoglou said: "I told them and they laughed.

"I told them and they didn't believe. But here we are and we're here because of the unbelievable group of people, staff, heroes, led by the legend Son Heung-Min, [Cristian] Romero, [James] Maddison and [Guglielmo] Vicario.

"All of them [are] heroes. And they did it all for you. Because you deserve it. This club deserves it. I'll leave you with this: all the best television series, season three is better than season two. Thank you."

Postecoglou told TNT Sports immediately after the final that he wanted to "build on" their victory and he has been backed by his players. "I don't feel like I've completed the job yet, we're still building," he said.

"The moment I accepted the role I had one thing in my head, and that was to win something. More than anything else I had that in my head, and we've done that now so I want to build on it."

Brennan Johnson, who scored the winning goal, said: "He has done his job. He said he wins in the second year and he has, if there's ever a time for a mic drop, it's now [when he speaks to the media].

"I can't thank the manager enough for how much trust he has in us and he has a really good way of getting us up for it." Club captain Son Heung-min added: "He won the trophy. Nobody did it, so...

"Look, it's not up to me or the players, but we just have to look at the facts, at the fact that we haven’t won in 17 years, today is the day we finally won it. It's the manager who wins the trophy. So we see what’s going to happen.

Son Heung-min leads celebrations and drops F-bomb as Spurs stage Europa League victory parade

Tottenham Hotspur celebrated their Europa League win with an open-top bus parade, with thousands of supporters lining the streets after their triumph over Manchester United

Tottenham Hotspur supporters were out in force to celebrate their Europa League triumph on Friday, as thousands of fans attended the club's open-top bus parade in north London.

A goal from Brennan Johnson earned Spurs a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the final in Bilbao on Wednesday, with manager Ange Postecoglou delivering on his infamous promise to win a trophy in his second season.

And captain Son Heung-min led the celebrations, with the forward carrying the trophy onto a white double-decker bus with "Europa League winners" written across the front. The bus began to drive down the High Road at 5.30pm to chants of "glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur".

An estimated 150,000 fans were on hand to witness the parade, which was Spurs' first since a 1991 FA Cup win. The bus arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at around 7.30pm, with Postecoglou telling supporters: "I told them and they laughed.

"I told them and they didn't believe. But here we are and we're here because of the unbelievable group of people, staff, heroes, led by the legend Son Heung-Min, [Cristian] Romero, [James] Maddison and [Guglielmo] Vicario.

"All of them [are] heroes. And they did it all for you. Because you deserve it. This club deserves it. And I'll tell you something. All the best television series. Season three is better than season two."

Maddison described Wednesday as "one of the best nights of my life" as he told the fans: "With the whole tag around the trophies, we're the group who put that to bed. We'll have that for the rest of lives.

"When we bump into each other in 50 years, we'll always have this night in Bilbao. The best decision I ever made was joining this club."

Son addressed the crowd and said: "You guys have been the same from day one until now. I f***ing love you. We f***ing won the Europa League. And you all deserve it."

Club legends were also present, including Graham Roberts who scored when they won the 1984 UEFA Cup. Roberts said: "This will give them belief now. All that pressure that was there, that's gone.

"We have to strengthen our squad, but I think we have a great bunch of boys. They love Ange, they went round him, they cuddled him, they wanted him in the photos. The team spirit is there. We'll get more now, the rest will come.

"Wednesday was one of the greatest nights. I had tears in my eyes. We were in the fan park, me and Ledley (King). The fans were magnificent. They deserve it. I just hope we get a team on the pitch on Sunday."

Gareth Bale once had the option to move to a dominant Manchester United side during the early stages of his career, but the Welsh talisman ended up turning down the great Sir Alex Ferguson

Gareth Bale watched on with a smile as his old club Tottenham Hotspur lifted their first trophy in 17 years after defeating Manchester United. But the Welshman's story could have been very different had he not turned down the chance to join the Red Devils over the north London side.

Almost two decades ago, a young Bale was catching eyes from full-back, scoring five goals and assisting 12 times across 45 appearances for then-Championship side Southampton. New Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was interested, but he faced stiff competition from Premier League giant Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United boardroom.

Bale decided to turn down Ferguson, though, and head to north London in 2007 instead, telling his Airwayz channel in 2023 that this decision actually led to his success rather than any potential downfall.

The 35-year-old said: "I rejected Manchester United and went to Tottenham. At that time, United were the biggest team in the league, they were winning trophies, they had the biggest players, the best manager.

"The easiest decision would be to go to Man United and the biggest club. You always want to be at the biggest clubs but I took the approach that I wanted to be playing first-team football."

But Bale bucked the trend; he chose Spurs and spent six seasons carving out a move from left-back to creative forward, scoring 42 goals in 142 appearances and impressing throughout his time in the Premier League.

From there, the Welshman carved out a sensational transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2013 for a then-world record fee of £85million. He joined superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria, Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Casemiro and Luka Modric in the famous white kit, and spent nine seasons with the club.

In this time, Bale scored 106 goals in 258 appearances, winning five Champions Leagues, three La Liga titles and a host of other honours. The attacker spent one season back on loan to Spurs, before joining Los Angeles FC and retiring in 2023 as one of the greatest players in both Welsh and footballing history.

So while many would assume Bale would regret the decision to snub Ferguson and his Red Devils – who won the Premier League title under Sir Alex in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013 – for Spurs, the retired winger insisted that a need for consistent game time at a young age was more important to him than money and glory.

He added: "At that age, a lot of players would go for the money and would want to go to a bigger club.

"But I was playing, developing and learning. It was an important part of my development to keep playing first-team football because you can't replicate that."

Now, it seems that Bale will have the last laugh over the team that could've been but wasn't, as he made a sly joke at United's expense following their damaging European defeat this week.

During TNT Sport's broadcast of Spurs' 1-0 Europa League final win, Bale was questioned on whether this win will get rid of the 'Spursy' tagline that the club are serial losers.

He was quick to respond at United's woes, as he said: "It could be a United-y thing now, I am telling you. But it gets rid of that stigma now for sure, and hopefully we can build on it."

Tottenham finally ended their trophy drought by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final on Thursday night and now the squad are set to be rewarded for the historic achievement

Tottenham are set for a massive payday after clinching Europa League glory, with boss Ange Postecoglou pocketing £2million while the rest of his squad will share a £3m bonus between them. Spurs finally ended their 17-year trophy hoodoo on Wednesday night after a famous 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the final, with Brennan Johnson netting the winner.

Spurs partied long into the night after their triumph also secured them a spot in next season's Champions League - which will earn the club a £100m windfall.

According to the BBC, Postecoglou has been rewarded for his incredible achievement that saw the club win their first European trophy since 1984, with the Australian enjoying a huge bonus.

And while the players will split their own performance-related package, not all of them will enjoy automatic pay increases after reaching the Champions League.

The trophy win is all the more remarkable for Postecoglou after insisting he "always wins something in his second season" last year.

However, that goal has looked incredibly unlikely during a nightmare campaign that has led to 21 defeats in the Premier League and the team plummeting to 17th in the table.

There has been huge pressure on Postecoglou from fans while there were claims he could be sacked by the club regardless of whether he delivered the trophy.

The BBC claims Spurs are "some way down the line in the process of identifying potential replacements" for the Australian and believe he "may still be on borrowed time".

Postecoglou refused to discuss his future after winning the Europa League but insisted the decision over whether he stays was "not in my hands".

"I've had such a laser focus on winning this thing that I didn't....Whatever happens happens. I said yesterday that we are still building this team. It's still a very young team and we need to add some experience to it.

"We're in the Champions League and my thought process, and what I've been doing this year is trying to build a team that can be successful for four, five, six years. Now, I'm the manager of a football club.

"That decision is not in my hands. It doesn't affect me. If it was going to affect me then you would have seen it in the buildup to here. All that I cared about was this thing [the medal]. You know, having this thing around my neck means this football club has won a trophy."

Ange Postecoglou followed through on his promise by sacrificing some of his principles. And by quitting on the domestic campaign to end Tottenham’s trophy drought, chances are he has also relinquished a chance to continue his project.

As the Australian pushed aside a hard-earned opportunity to gloat on Wednesday night, he instead offered a vital insight into why he is still expected to be shown the exit.

How must chairman Daniel Levy, a man who has never been slow to make changes in the dugout, feel after hearing Postecoglou claim the Premier League was written off in late January?

Not great, presumably – irrespective of the 17-year drought being ended.

Postecoglou was honest enough to admit certain figures at the club were “at odds” with his decision to put all his eggs in the Europa basket “at a cost.”

But the suggestion that Spurs effectively gave up on the Premier League must not be spun into an act of clever management.

Ignoring the fact Tottenham were already on the ropes by the close of the January transfer window – they had lost eight from ten – for the manager of one of the world’s richest clubs to claim he effectively wrote off almost half a league season is unacceptable.

Sure, the injury problems were unprecedented. Sure, the trophy is a piece of physical justification for his decision.

And, of course, the financial boon of reaching next season’s Champions League is huge. But if a narrative was allowed to develop in recent days around the importance of the £100m pot for the winners, let’s not forget finishing in the top five remains far more lucrative. Being mid-table would have earned another £20m.

Postecoglou, nothing if not stubborn, is unlikely to have regrets because the risk paid such a handsome reward. Except there is no time to stand still and next season’s Champions League, even in its new bloated format, will offer far more ruthless opposition than Ferencvaros, Elfsborg and Bodo/Glimt – especially for a young squad that currently lacks depth.

It is also worth mentioning the great irony to how Postecoglou guided Spurs to glory. For all the talk about the unwavering commitment to Angeball in the past two years, this triumph was earned through a degree of pragmatism that has so often appeared anathema to him.

The flawed-but-fun approach that has made them top entertainment for the neutrals was replaced in Europe by something more tailored and sensible. And for all the prickly exchanges he has had with the media over his refusal to change, it was his willingness to quietly adapt that has brought victory.

For that he deserves credit and it should be stressed that Postecoglou has remained popular among his players throughout. Some refer to him as Uncle Ange and appreciate how he absorbed the hits this season rather than deflect it on to their underperformance. That, unquestionably, is excellent management.

But in Levy’s 24 years in charge, there has never been much room for sentimentality.

Postecoglou deserves a big send off, the chance to lap up every moment of today’s parade and Sunday’s season closer against Brighton. All signs, however, suggest it would be a mistake for him to still be there come August.

THE BIG DEBATE: Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou finished a difficult season with a flourish by winning the Europa League but it remains to be seen if we will stay at the club

For all the challenges that the past nine months have brought, Tottenham will now forever have that one night in Bilbao. And Ange Postecoglou, chastised and ridiculed for weeks in the build-up to the Europa League final, has his vindication. Because he always wins a trophy in his second season, in case you didn't know.

Brennan Johnson's priceless scuffed winner in San Mames helped Tottenham bag a golden ticket to the Champions League and the riches that come with it as Postecoglou's men hit the jackpot at Manchester United's - literal - expense.

But what next for Tottenham and Postecoglou? Yes, he has landed the club's first major trophy in 17 years but is that enough to atone for a calamitous Premier League campaign which could see the Londoners finish in 17th place?

There has already been plenty of speculation over Postecoglou's future and how the outcome of the final may or may not affect things. In the wake of Tottenham's victory, we asked the Mirror Football team whether Spurs should sack or back their boss...

Ryan Taylor

Ange deserves the chance to stay. We know Manchester United made a mistake last summer when they kept Erik ten Hag on after winning the FA Cup but ultimately, the Aussie has succeeded where Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte failed.

Additionally, you can see there's something there with Postecoglou, he has lost way too many games but there have been mitigating circumstances. I think the majority of the fan base is behind him and he's earned qualification back into the Champions League and that represents the chance to turn over a new leaf.

Now is the time to back him, get behind him and we'll see how it plays out but given the club have stood by him through thick and thin this season, I don't see why they'd now pull the trigger because their faith has now been vindicated.

I've been on the receiving end of Ange's hair dryer but I think he's a breath of fresh air, he's unique, a brilliant leader and I'm absolutely delighted to see him get Spurs over the line as Europa League winners. The man has earned the right to stay on.

Andy Dunn

Ange Postecoglou would not be the first to be sent packing after winning a trophy and would not be the last. And let’s face it, the only reason Daniel Levy would leave him in his post is as a reward for that first trophy in 17 years and for the massive Champions League windfall that is coming the club’s way.

Because in the cold light of day, there was not actually much in the performance in Bilbao - as defensively decent as it was - to suggest this is a Spurs team that can make any sort of impact in the Premier League next season.

Domestically, Postecoglou has got into a severe losing rut and the triumph in Bilbao - over a very poor Manchester United side - would seem an appropriate time to call an end to the liaison. The likeable Aussie will get a decent pay-off and a nice gig when he wants one and Spurs are now a more attractive proposition for an ambitious manager.

Nathan Ridley

I'm a big fan of Ange Postecoglou. Early last season when Erik ten Hag was on the ropes, I thought Manchester United should've gone for him. He's a leader, seems to have all the right principles and he's a winner. But his time at Tottenham is up. I can't see Daniel Levy making the same mistake as Sir Jim Ratcliffe did with Ten Hag and keeping a manager based on a cup final win.

Yes, they've been blighted by injuries and he evidently prioritised the Europa League, but the results over the last 18 months haven't been good enough and his refusal to compromise his approach in the Premier League has been Spurs' undoing. As Jamie Carragher put it in December, we all want to wear our summer clothes every day, but when it's raining, you've gotta get your coat on.

Tottenham don't have the most talented squad or are blessed with much experience, which is exactly why I don't think such a front-foot style of play is sustainable. A more pragmatic manager like Thomas Frank or Marco Silva makes sense.

As for Postecoglou, I actually think he'd stand a good chance of succeeding at a big club in Europe. Could he turn AC Milan around? Or what about RB Leipzig? Ajax would also be a good fit. He's got the strength of character to handle the pressure. Just look at the way he transformed Celtic. He can leave Spurs with huge pride and both parties can start afresh.

James Whaling

I've actually changed my mind on this in the last 24 hours. Tottenham have been hopeless in the Premier League season and, despite their injuries, finishing 17th for a club of their stature, with a points total that would have seen them relegated in multiple previous top-flight seasons, is far from good enough.

Ange Postecoglou's reaction in interviews and press conferences when being asked perfectly legitimate questions in the aftermath of some of those defeats has left a lot to be desired. And yet. And yet.

He's done what he said he would. He always wins trophies in his second season. We laughed. We scoffed. Who's laughing now? It was far from pretty, but Postecoglou set his side up with a plan and it worked to perfection.

Gareth Bale made a point that, if you don't finish in the European spots, it doesn't really matter whether it's 8th or 17th. I'm not sure I fully subscribe to that, but the sentiment is undeniable. Spurs are in the Champions League next season and finally have a trophy to their name.

The thing that may work in Ange's favour here is the backing from the players. They were desperate for him to be involved in the celebrations. And I think he's probably earned a shot at adding to his young squad with the quality an extra £100million of transfer money and the lure of Europe's top table will bring.

Tom Victor

In each of the two seasons before this, we’ve seen Premier League clubs told to dismiss their manager after a cup final victory helped paper over some cracks. In both cases they decided against it, and in both cases the manager’s time was soon up anyway.

West Ham had more reason for wanting to stick instead of twist, perhaps feeling they couldn’t lose Declan Rice and David Moyes in one summer. By the end of the following season, though, things had gone stale - even if getting the next appointment wrong has led to some Moyes revisionism in the year since.

Manchester United’s cup win was domestic rather than European, but that too earned their manager more time. Erik ten Hag was backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but that soon looked like a mistake and the Dutchman was gone by the end of October.

Sentimentality can rule after a result like this, and that’s understandable. For Spurs, though, a clean break and a chance for them and Ange Postecoglou to each start a new project could be the answer.

Mike Walters

Big Ange must stay. What are the other options? After waiting 17 years for a trophy, the great Aussie growler and Billy Joel fan has ended the longest time Spurs have had to wait for a pot since the Second World War (the piano man's fans will get that one).

And more to the point, he proved he can adapt to be a winner. Where Ruben Amorim stuck doggedly and fatally to his sacrosanct 3-4-3 shape and came a dismal cropper, Rocky Bilbao was smart enough to change his approach.

Instead of maintaining a suicidally high defensive line and getting picked off, as Spurs have been almost every week in the Premier League, Postecoglou ordered his side to sit deep, give United no space to run in behind the full-backs, and their smothering operation worked a treat.

My giddy aunt, it was tedious to watch. An absolute dog's dinner to set before the whole of Europe. But Big Ange proved he's a winner after all. If he chooses to walk, good luck to him - but who would be daft enough to sack the manager who actually won a trophy for Tottenham Hotspur? Are you there, Daniel? Daniel? Dan? Dan??!! DAN!!!!

Mark Jones

The great thing about being a football fan is that you get to be as fickle as you want to be. Great isn't it?

There are several times this season when I've thought Tottenham should sack Ange Postecoglou, stick him on a flight back to Australia and change the locks to ensure he never comes back, but can a scrappy win in Bilbao courtesy of something that resembled a try more than a goal - not that Welshmen get many of those at the moment - really change all that? Yes.

Call it overly emotional if you want, or recency bias from looking at pictures of Big Ange's big happy face over the last 12 hours, but I think I'd keep him now. That 17-year wait was an enormous burden around Tottenham's necks, and he deserves to sample N17 life with a post-trophy glow.

Don't get me wrong I'd still keep an eye on manager movements - Andoni Iraola would be a great fit for Spurs, as would Oliver Glasner - but the players clearly respect Ange, and he deserves a stay of execution.

Jeremy Cross

Ange Postecoglou is only heading in one direction - out of Tottenham. He’s done his job in one sense, by winning a first trophy for the club in 17 years. But he’s failed in another, spectacularly.

Tottenham have lost 21 league games this season, and no Europa League triumph should be allowed to mask this. But it’s a win-win scenario.

Tottenham get the silverware they’ve craved so long, and Big Ange gets a pay off with the prospect of landing another top job.

David McDonnell

Winning the Europa League should not alter the Tottenham hierarchy’s thinking when it comes to jettisoning Ange Postecoglou at the end of the season. Manchester United made that mistake last summer, keeping Erik ten Hag after his unlikely FA Cup final win over Manchester City, only to sack him a couple of months into the new season.

Despite the momentous and historic win over United in Bilbao, there is no getting away from the fact this has been a calamitous season on the domestic front for Spurs. A whopping 21 defeats has left them languishing one place above the relegation zone and a European trophy cannot make up for such an abject failure, however memorable for Spurs fans and profitable for the club.

So it is the right decision to part ways with Postecoglou, who can leave with his bruised reputation somewhat restored, having left his successor - whoever that may be - a squad in need of an overhaul, but one with a Champions League campaign, with the revenue from that to help fund the rebuild.

Alex Richards

If this was the end, then what a way to go out. And certainly, after Brennan Johnson's comment about a 'mic drop' and the tears in the big Aussie's eyes, it seemed like the Europa League final was Ange Postecoglou's final hurrah as Spurs boss. But he continued to insist that he wants to keep building and keep working with his young side.

We can take his claims about prioritising the Europa League since January with a pinch of salt - that should not be a reason for them being so bad in the Premier league - yet at the end of the day, he's given Spurs fans the silverware they crave and taken the club back into the Champions League, the place Daniel Levy hired him to take them. So it's fair to say he's pretty much given everyone associated with the club what they had been hoping for.

The Premier League campaign has been dismal, he knows that, the players know that, everyone knows that. But that, coupled with European success, may just make this group stronger, tougher, harder in the coming years.

Spurs have hired and fired 'winners' before. The problem was, while many flattered to deceive, none actually won anything in North London. Now Postecoglou has. If he wants it, Levy should now come out, back him emphatically in public, and let's see if Spurs can kick on under him.

Sack him, and it's just a case of going back to the drawing board.

Daniel Marsh

It feels like we've been here before, doesn't it? Only last time it was Manchester United with that dilemma after winning the FA Cup with the beleaguered Erik ten Hag. He was given the grace to go on and well, things did not end well.

So is that worth bearing in mind with Ange Postecoglou? Yes and no. He's looked completely broken at times this season and there is no getting away from the fact that Spurs have been a shambles in the Premier League, to the extent that if there three more half decent teams in the league then they and United could be heading into this weekend with top-flight safety on the line.

But alas, they are not. And he has delivered the thing Spurs fans have craved above anything else: a trophy. I'm on the fence; if Postecoglou wants to stay, he should be backed with the riches that Champions League qualification brings. If he wants to leave with his head held high, then that would also make sense.

But given the main criticism of Postecoglou has been the lack of a Plan B, after watching him forgo his principles in order to clinch a priceless if ugly victory in Bilbao, I would be leaning towards the former if I was Mr.Levy.

Tottenham Hotspur's 17-year trophy drought is over after Spurs emerged victorious from the battle of the Premier League underachievers in Bilbao.

Brennan Johnson smuggled the ball over the line three minutes before half-time for the only goal of a desperately poor Europa League final, in which Manchester United failed to inspire.

The closest Ruben Amorim's side came to a goal was through a Rasmus Hojlund header which was superbly cleared off the line by Micky van de Ven, who stood tall as Spurs delivered a trophy to the delight of their often-criticised manager Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian wore a delighted grin as he lived up to his promise of winning a trophy in his second season and earned Champions League qualification, with United left crestfallen and without European football of any kind next season.

There was a fairly frantic feel to the opening proceedings in Bilbao, where the do-or-die nature of the game - a match which would serve as a season-saver for the winner, and condemn the loser to one of their worst campaigns in living memory - was leading the sides 16th and 17th in the Premier League toward a somewhat manic approach.

Johnson was denied by Andre Onana from a tight angle, before the Welshman's team-mate Richarlison had a shot blocked.

At the other end Guglielmo Vicario flapped at a Bruno Fernandes corner, with Amad Diallo picking up the loose ball and flashing a fierce drive across the face of goal and beyond the United attackers.

That early promise then largely disappeared from the game though, and it became bogged down in a deep lack of quality full of errors on both sides. Hopes for a goal centred on either a piece of inspiration or a mistake, and three minutes before half-time the latter arrived.

Fernandes gave the ball away to Pape Sarr, and after the Senegalese briefly loaned it to Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur he swung in a cross towards the darting Johnson, who swiped and flailed at it just enough to discomfort Shaw.

The ball struck the United defender's arm and dropped towards goal, seemingly via the faintest touch from Johnson, with Onana unable to claw it away. Goal. Not the prettiest one you've ever seen in a European final, but Spurs didn't care.

They had something to hold on to now, but while they would have perhaps expected an onslaught at the start of the second half one never really arrived. Attempts to progress the ball ended up being stifled by the hard-working Spurs midfield and wide players, and the game remained scrappy beyond the hour mark.

United weren't creating anything, and indeed their most dangerous outlet was proving to be Vicario. The Spurs goalkeeper got in a muddle with Dominic Solanke from a Fernandes free-kick, but Hojlund's goalbound header was acrobatically and brilliantly cleared off the line by Van de Ven.

Ruben Amorim eventually turned to his bench to introduce Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho, and suddenly there was a greater threat going forward. Fernandes headed just wide and you knew more chances were coming.

Garnacho brought a sharp stop from Vicario but it was all so poor from United, and as Harry Maguire moved into the centre-forward position as an act of desperation, Vicario saved well late on from Luke Shaw.

Spurs eventually emerged as winners of the slugfest, and will quickly forget just how they did it.

Football fans watching the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur on Discovery Plus were left frustrated by buffering during the first half of the game. Viewers were able to watch the final for free, as has been the case in previous years, but some encountered problems.

"Anyone else experiencing buffering on the Europa final on Discovery Plus," one asked. "Had to make a Discovery plus account to watch the final and the stream drops in quality every 2 minutes," wrote another on social media.

"This stream on Discovery plus is utterly woeful what are they using dial up?" asked a third. "This game is unwatchable on the discovery plus app. Constant buffering for me," was the complaint from yet another viewer.

On the field, it took a while for the teams to get a real sight of goal. Just as the half-time whistle drew closer, though, Spurs got their noses in front.

The opener was a scrappy affair. Brennan Johnson didn't get the cleanest of touches on Pape Sarr's ball in from the left, but the ball struck Luke Shaw and crept beyond Andre Onana into te net.

"The game did need a goal," former Spurs and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "It wasn't pretty, it was scrappy, but those Tottenham fans won't mind."

Speaking on TNT Sports at the break, former Spurs star Gareth Bale said: "For a Spurs fan it doesn't matter. I think Spurs have probably been the better team in the first half, pressured them very high, but... it's important to get that first goal because I feel like the pressure was good but you need something to back that up."

Fellow pundit and former United defender Rio Ferdinand wasn't impressed with his old team's defending. "It was poor, [Patrick] Dorgu, at no point in this does he talk to Luke Shaw," he said.

"You always need that help. Maybe it's inexperience here but he doesn't let him know. By the time he realises and sees the white shirts flashing, it's too late and the ball ends up in the back of the net.

"I always say the defender furthest away is your talker, he's your eyes and ears. He has to signal to all the other players - scream, push, whatever - and let them know players are running across them. He didn't do that and they got punished.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will face off in Bilbao in the Europa League final, with millions of pounds on the line along with significant bragging rights

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have plenty on the line when they face off in Bilbao. The Europa League trophy is enough of an incentive itself, while Champions League qualification will be a welcome bonus, but the prize money isn't too bad either.

Both teams navigated the new league phase, finishing in the top eight to avoid an extra play-off round. Both were also put to the test during the knockout rounds, but reached the final after home-and-away victories against Athletic Club and Bodo/Glimt respectively in the semis.

According to official UEFA figures, the two finalists are each guaranteed a little over £5.9million just for making it to Bilbao. They'll nearly double it with a win, though, with an extra £5.06m going to whoever comes out on top at San Mames.

That's about half of what the Champions League winners will earn. Whichever of Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain wins that tournament will receive £21.1m, compared to just shy of £11m for the Europa League winners.

Those numbers are just for the knockout runs, with all 36 teams in the Europa League's league phase entitled to £3.63m as well as further payouts based on results. A reward of around £380,000 per win and £126,500 per draw means both United and Spurs earned seven-figure sums for their league phase performances.

That's only part of the story, though. Due to the two teams' lowly Premier League positions, neither will be in Europe next season unless they win at San Mames.

The winners will scoop an estimated £100m for making it into the Champions League, with a chance to boost that total even more by reaching the latter stages of that tournament next season. And United boss Ruben Amorim has sent a message to the fans and to his players ahead of the game.

“It’s hard. It’s not enough, winning the Europa League. It’s not enough for all the support the fans gave us this season," Amorim said. “But we’re really excited for the final. It's really important, massive for us, and we want to give that to our fans.

“I feel it's a mixed feeling. I'm really excited but, at the same time, I know my responsibility as Manchester United coach. I have always that feeling of frustration for the season, so I want really badly to help the team win this final. We've got to give something to the club, to the fans, to the staff, to everybody.”

The stakes are high for under-pressure managers Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou ahead of the Europa League final in Bilbao between Manchester United and Tottenham

Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou have been told that even victory in the Europa League final might not be enough to save their jobs. The two under-pressure managers lead Manchester United and Tottenham in the high stakes match in Bilbao on Wednesday evening knowing the game will define their seasons.

Both teams have endured a miserable season in the Premier League, with United 16th and Spurs 17th, making victory in the Basque Country vital. As well as giving their fans something to cheer, a win would automatically guarantee a place in the 2025/26 Champions League – a significant factor financially and in terms of attracting new players this summer.

Spurs have not lifted a trophy since the League Cup in 2008, while Amorim knows victory would significantly alter the perception of his debut campaign, having failed to make an impact since taking over from Erik ten Hag in November.

It is an intriguing backdrop to the match at the San Mames Stadium, but former Tottenham midfielder Steffen Freund thinks the result may be a moot point. The German believes that, realistically, the decisions of those in power won’t be swayed by 90 minutes.

“I have to answer in a way how the business is,” he told Sky Sports News when asked about Postecoglou losing his job. “I think in the end maybe it doesn’t matter how they play today – the Premier League is the most important for the supporters and both teams are 16th and 17th, which is the worst season for both teams.

“So I think maybe both coaches will go after the game. I don’t like that, but think about Man United: most of the coaches have been sacked – [Louis] van Gaal after an FA Cup win, [Erik] ten Hag after an FA Cup win – so that’s how it is in the football business. And as a coach, I would love to see both coaches keep going.”

There have been widespread reports that Postecoglou could be sacked by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, regardless of whether he comes good on his promise to win silverware in his second season. The Australian was combative in his pre-match press conference, pushing back against a journalist who suggested that he would be perceived as a “clown” if he loses.

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He has tried to play down the importance of the occasion, but Spurs veteran Son Heung-min knows what victory would mean. “It’s going to be a huge, huge moment for both of us and also for the boys if we win it,” the Spurs skipper said.

“As we always say, the first step is going to be really hard, but if you win that trophy, we can change the mentality, we can change the history and hopefully we can continue to compete for another trophy.”