The Mirror

Ange Postecoglou will keep risks to a minimum in the next week as he leans into narrative around changing Tottenham's history before Europa League final against Manchester United

Ange Postecoglou does not plan to emulate Mauricio Pochettino by having his Tottenham stars walking over hot coals before next week’s Europa League final. But the Spurs head coach is urging his squad to embrace the opportunity to “break the cycle” and put an end to jibes about the club’s 17 years without a trophy.

When Spurs were gearing up for the Champions League final against Liverpool six years ago, then head coach Pochettino brought his squad on a team bonding session where they stepped barefoot on burning embers and put arrows to their throats.

But after a season where Postecoglou has faced an injury crisis he has described as unprecedented, all risks will be avoided before the showdown with Manchester United.

“We’ve got enough injuries,” Postecoglou said. “I’ll put them in cotton wool for the next ten days. “Seriously, with the way things have gone this year, any extra curricular activities are going to be at a minimum.”

On Sunday the sight of star midfielder Dejan Kulusevski hobbling off after a bang to the knee in defeat to Crystal Palace offered Postecoglou fresh cause to wince. “Sod’s law,” he said.

And with James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall already sidelined, Spurs are desperate for Kulusevski to be fighting fit by next Wednesday.

“We’ll see,” Postecoglou added. “It looks like a knock at this stage but we're going to let it settle for 24 hours then assess it. The initial thing was it's more of a knock than anything more significant.”

He did have more promising news regarding club captain Son Heung-min, though, after he came off the bench against Palace following a month out with a foot injury.

Son will feature again away to Aston Villa on Friday but Postecoglou insists he will not let his heart rule over his head when picking his starting XI against United.

"It comes down to getting him ready to play and then making a decision," he said. "It's nothing more than that.

"One thing I do know about finals is there are always moments and players who can change it. But it's going to take a collective effort, it's what we do as a team that will be much more important than individuals on the day.”

Postecoglou says that in conversations with his players over the next few days he will attempt to tap into "something greater" that "can be powerful on the day" than the mere physical prize on offer.

And that will most likely zone in on how they can be the men to change the narrative that has followed Tottenham around for the best part of two decades.

"When you look at the historical backdrop of this club and what it’s been through in the last 20-odd years, I feel like it could be a turning point in terms of the way the club is perceived but also more how it perceives itself which I think is the biggest thing," he added.

“I often say to the players that at the end of your careers, what you want to be able to do is go back to the clubs you served and know you’ve made an impact.

“The photos I see up on the walls at the stadium are all of Bill Nicholson, the 1984 (Uefa Cup) winning team. Fair to say a lot of them are in black and white. Can we get this group up on that wall?”

Manchester United and Tottenham will do battle in Bilbao next Wednesday and UEFA have confirmed that German referee Felix Zwayer will take charge of the fixture

UEFA have confirmed that Felix Zwayer will referee the Europa League final between Tottenham and Manchester United. The two English clubs will clash at the San Memes in Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21, and the German has been selected to be the man in the middle.

Zwayer, 43, recently took charge of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final second leg away to Paris Saint-Germain. Fans may also remember him from refereeing the Euro 2024 semi-final between England and the Netherlands last July.

Despite his vast experience and pedigree, the Bundesliga official is renowned for being involved in a match-fixing scandal. In 2005, he accepted a £250 bribe from fellow referee Robert Hoyzer. Zwayer was slapped with a six-month ban while Hoyzer received a two-year five-month prison sentence and was given a lifetime ban from any role in football.

The Berlin-born ref's chequered past hasn't stopped him from becoming one of the most highly regarded officials in European football, though. Zwayer has taken charge of over 685 top-level matches, one of those being a controversial Bundesliga clash between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in 2021.

After Zwayer awarded a penalty to Bayern following a handball by Mats Hummels, then-Dortmund star Jude Bellingham brought up Zwayer's past. "You give a referee, that has match fixed before, the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?" Bellingham said to Viaplay in an explosive post-match interview.

"You can look at a lot of the decisions in the game. For me, it wasn't [a penalty]. He (Hummels) is not even looking at the ball and he's fighting to get it and it hits him."

Bellingham was fined £34,000 for his comments by the German FA and Zwayer demanded a personal apology. "I would prefer to clarify this in a personal conversation with Jude Bellingham and have offered such a personal conversation to Borussia Dortmund," he told Bild.

Who'll win the Europa League final - Tottenham or Man Utd? Give us your score predictions in the comments section.

"For me, it's not about punishment, but about the realisation that he went too far. I would accept a sincere apology. The statement deliberately creates the false impression that I did not referee the match to the best of my ability.

"It is personal, disparaging and disrespectful. Even if you put yourself in the subjective perspective, which is marked by emotion, his statement is far from professional or factual."

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will face off in the final of the Europa League on May 21, with the winning team qualifying for next season's Champions League

Ahead of the Europa League final on May 21, the men in charge of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have taken different approaches. Spurs plan to give out around 700 free tickets to the final in Bilbao - one for each of the club's full-time employees - in contrast to their opponents at San Mames.

The two struggling Premier League teams have a chance to salvage something from their season in the Basque Country. United and Spurs sit 16th and 17th respectively in the table, but progressed to the Europa League final after decisive semi-final wins against Athletic Club and Bodo/Glimt respectively.

Both teams will have an allocation of 15,000 tickets for the final, with the winners earning a spot in next season's Champions League. According to The Mail, Spurs have offered a free ticket to each staff member, though the offer is not understood to include travel or accommodation.

United, in contrast, won't be doling out free tickets to staff. The news comes against a backdrop of significant cost-cutting under billionaire part-owner Ratcliffe, with the workforce trimmed substantially since his arrival partway through the 2023-24 season.

A small number of United's staff members will have the chance to win tickets via a ballot, while those unable to attend will be able to watch a screening of the game. They will reportedly be given two free drinks at the screening, while any plus-one they bring will have to pay for their own refreshments.

Spurs will be playing in just their second European final of the 21st century and their second against English opposition. The first came in 2019, when they were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final.

For United, it's a sixth European final since the turn of the century and a chance for a third win. They beat Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final and overcame Ajax to win the Europa League in 2017, while they also suffered final losses against Barcelona (twice) and Villarreal.

United and Spurs both suffered 2-0 home defeats in the league at the weekend after ringing the changes ahead of the European final. Ruben Amorim's team were beaten by West Ham, while Ange Postecoglou's side fell to FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace.

"Everybody is focused on the final. The final is not the biggest thing in our football club. We need to change a lot of things," United boss Amorim told Match of the Day after the latest defeat.

"If we don't change the way we play and perform and feel this urgency of winning every game, we should not play in the Champions League. We should just stay in the Premier League and learn how to be competitive one week at a time.

"The biggest focus on our football club is to change a lot of things. It's not just the final."

Tottenham will face Manchester United in the Europa League final in a fortnight, with Ange Postecoglou being handed some welcome injury news in the build-up to that game

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has been handed a much-needed injury boost heading into the Europa League final. Spurs smashed Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals to set up a date with Manchester United in Bilbao on 21 May.

The winner of the final will book an automatic spot in the Champions League next season. Meanwhile, the loser will be left looking at the ruins of a dreadful campaign, with both bosses under pressure.

United and Spurs have endured awful years, sitting 15th and 16th in the Premier League table respectively. Postecoglou has seen his standing at the club plummet over the course of the season.

While he had looked secure in his position this time last year, the Australian now appears on the brink of departing. He does have the chance of winning silverware, with Spurs' last trophy coming way back in 2008.

A major reason for Tottenham's struggles this term have been their injury issues. Postecoglou has been forced to deal with a number of crises, including at goalkeeper, in defence, midfield and attack.

The latest star to be ruled out is James Maddison, with the playmaker confirmed as missing the rest of the campaign. Captain Son Heung-min has also missed the last seven games with a foot issue.

But with the Europa League final fast approaching and a Premier League clash against Crystal Palace ahead on Sunday, Postecoglou has finally been handed some positive news, with Son edging towards a return.

"Everyone got through OK the other night," Postecoglou said on Friday. "Half-hopeful that we get Sonny some minutes tomorrow so he'll be the only one that sort of can come back in.

"I think what we do know about Thursday night, playing on an artificial pitch takes a lot out of the players - it's fair to say they were sore.I remember when we played Tamworth, we actually got a couple of injuries in the game straight after that, I think, because of the surface.

"We've got to be careful about Sunday's game, but next Friday it's a bit different. I think we've just got to make decisions we think [are right]. Ultimately we want to be in a great condition come the final, so we'll use that."

The final will mark Postecoglou's 100th game in charge of Spurs, with the Australian relishing the occasion. He added: "I think it is quite a significant achievement, you know, we've got ourselves to a European final.

"It hasn't been without its challenges for sure, it hasn't been a smooth run. It's well chronicled but irrespective of all that just to reach a final of a major tournament, it's hugely satisfying, but also really proud of the way this group has found a way.

"It'd be a nice little bow there for that 100 and it's been a really full 100. It's fair to say I've experienced just about every emotion in it and hopefully the one main emotion we're all after will be the joy at the end of it."

It's official - this is the worst Tottenham Hotspur team in Premier League history. After the cheerful distraction of reaching the Europa League final, normal service was resumed with a record 20th defeat in 36 games on the home front.

Does it matter if Spurs end 17 years without a trophy in Bilbao next week and win the golden ticket to the Champions League? Absolutely not - but if they finish the season empty-handed again, the inquest into Tottenham’s valiant contribution in the race to the bottom will be unforgiving.

Palace’s dress rehearsal for their FA Cup final with Manchester City on Saturday was pitch-perfect, and two-goal Eberechi Eze led the confiscation of sweets from kids in the playground with his latest swaggering, stylish masterclass.

But this was simply embarrassing from Spurs. They are lucky it wasn’t five or six.

If Ange Postecoglou thinks they can just turn on the taps against Manchester United in Basque country next week, he’d better hope the stopcock is in better working order than this shower. In his programme notes, Big Ange tuned into the air of renewed optimism in N17 and declared: “We know we’ve given you hope, something to dream about and we believe we can achieve something special this season.”

Where Palace counterpart Oliver Glasner went pretty much full-tilt, with nine of his semi-final starting XI on parade, Spurs boss Postecoglou plugged in his tumble-dryer and went for rotation.

Only captain-for-the-day Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusejkvski and Pedro Porro of the names from the Aussie growler’s tombola here are likely to start in the Europa League final. It’s just who we are, mate.

In fairness, Tottenham only got home from their midweek excursion into the Arctic circle at 4.30am on Friday morning, but old habits die hard at the Lane and they were booed off anyway.

Within two minutes, that well-known Chas and Dave cup final anthem, Spurs Are On Their Way To Bilbao, was raining down from the giant south stand, but it was Palace who called the tune. Ismaila Sarr was only denied an early breakthrough by VAR detection of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s shoulder being offside in the build-up when the rest of him was inside his own half. God bless technology.

With Djed Spence awarding himself the afternoon off, allowing Daniel Munoz free rein to run riot down Palace’s right flank, what followed was more one-way traffic than a supermarket checkout conveyor belt.

Antonin Kinsky fumbled Munoz’s volley like a bar of sap in the shower, blocked Mateta from close range, pushed Chris Richards’s header against the bar and foiled Mateta again with his trailing leg. Throw in Marc Guehi’s disallowed effort after another pesky VAR intervention and Eze’s 25-yard shot deflected inches wide, and Palace should have been out of sight by the interval.

As it was, they only had Eze’s tap-in, after Munoz escaped the AWOL Spence yet again, bang on 45 minutes to show for their vast superiority. Three minutes after the restart, at least there was a more realistic gulf between the sides as Eze started a rapid break with a sumptuous pass to Sarr, and when it came back to him 12 yards out there was nobody in the same postcode to prevent him making it 2-0.

Kevin Danso was spared the ignominy of an own goal by Kinsky’s reflexes, substitute Eddie Nketiah squandered a late one-on-one… and, frankly, nobody cared.

It’s all about Wembley for Palace and all roads lead to Bilbao for Spurs. But as preparations go, this was ideal for Glasner and lousy for Postecoglou.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were both handed scares on Sunday with first-teamers forced off injured during their respective Premier League games. The Europa League finalists will meet in Bilbao on May 21, with Leny Yoro and Dejan Kulusevski both facing a race against time to be fit for the showpiece.

United centre-back Yoro missed the start of the season through injury and suffered a fresh setback at home to West Ham. The Frenchman received treatment for an injury early in the second half but was unable to continue, with Harry Maguire taking his place.

Earlier in the day, Spurs midfielder Kulusevski managed just 20 minutes in the London derby against Crystal Palace. Young forward Mikey Moore replaced the Swede, who only returned in April after a foot injury.

United and Spurs both trailed at half-time as they looked to follow their Europa League semi-final wins with a result in the league. Ruben Amorim's Red Devils completed a 7-1 aggregate victory over Athletic Bilbao on Thursday, with Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham 5-1 aggregate victors over Bodo/Glimt, but both found things tougher on their return to domestic action.

Tomas Soucek's close-range finish gave West Ham the lead at Old Trafford, with Jarrod Bowen adding a second just before the hour. Over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, two Ebere Eze goals either side of the half-time whistle put Palace in control.

United manager Ruben Amorim had spoken in the lead-up to the game about balancing fitness and rhythm. Bruno Fernandes had been rested for the recent defeat at Brentford, but was back in the starting XI against West Ham.

"We want to win and to be competitive, also in the Premier League," Amorim said. "Bruno doesn't have the problem of any injury [touches wood] but Harry [Maguire] has. So we have to manage that but they have to play and it is better to play than to stay out."

Spurs were already without James Maddison, who has been ruled out of the final already. The former Leicester star picked up a knee injury in the first-leg victory at home to Bodo/Glimt and will not recover in time.

"Gutted. Just absolutely gutted," Maddison said on social media, "We’ve had our sights on that European final in Bilbao from day one of this campaign. So to accept not being able to take part out on that pitch with the boys is really tough to take.

"Injuries are just part of this game that can be so cruel at times. But I truly believe that it can be a special night for my football club. Bring on the 21st. All together."

EXCLUSIVE: Emily Damari, 28, was given a special welcome including a 'one of our own' chant by fans as she attended her first Tottenham Hotspur game since being kidnapped by Hamas on October 7

Freed Hamas hostage Emily Damari returned to watch her beloved Spurs play this afternoon and said: “I am finally home.”

It was the first time football mad Emily, 28, has been to a Premier League match since she was released earlier this year. She loved watching Tottenham before she was snatched by Hamas on October 7th 2023. Spurs fans laid on a special welcome outside the stadium for her before their match with Crystal Palace. They even displayed a yellow banner demanding “Bring the 59 hostages home now” - referring to those still being kept in Gaza. Emily, who lost two fingers after being shot, was held hostage by Hamas for 471 days until her release in January.

She addressed the supporters before the match and said: “Wow, wow, wow. This is more than a home. “It’s a family. You people mean more than anything to me. Yes I love the game but I love you all even more. I am finally really home.” Emily was standing by her mum Mandy as she spoke. She flew into London from Israel to watch the game. She has made no secret of her love for the north London club which has a large Jewish following.

While she was kept captive in the tunnels under Gaza Spurs fans regularly sang for her release. They regularly chanted: “Emily Damari - she’s one of our own.” They even tied yellow ribbons around the stadium in a gesture of support.

One close friend said: “She was really looking forward to watching Spurs again today.

“She really loves the club. She wanted to go to the stadium and see all the fans who supported her so much during her time in captivity.”

After being released Emily was pictured smiling and holding a “Come on you Spurs” scarf aloft as she thanked fans for their support.

Her mum, Mandy Damari, 63, from Beckenham, south east London said: “I told Emily about all the Spurs fans who released yellow balloons and created a "She's one of our own" chant for her.

“She is so touched and we can't wait to join you again for a match.”

Previously one of the activists who campaigned on her behalf Spurs fan Max Radford, said: “Emily Damari wants to thank Tottenham Hotspur, together with its fans and players, for all their unwavering support during her time being held captive in Gaza. “She is so touched to hear about all the amazing people who regularly released yellow balloons during the matches and tied yellow ribbons around the stadium and is so proud to be known as ‘one of our own.”

A win for Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final could spell disastrous consequences for the Premier League giants

Manchester United's season has been a rollercoaster ride - but there's still a chance for them to end on a high note after they secured their spot in the Europa League final this week.

Ruben Amorim's squad demolished Athletic Club with a 7-1 aggregate victory, setting up a showdown with Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao in just 10 days. Spurs also had an impressive run, beating Bodo/Glimt 5-1 over two legs.

Despite their struggles in domestic competitions, Ange Postecoglou's side have managed to defeat the Red Devils three times this season. For Spurs, lifting the trophy would break a 17-year drought, while for United, it could provide a silver lining to a disappointing season.

It's worth noting that the Europa League winners automatically secure a spot in next season's Champions League. However, for United, this might not be a given.

Previous UEFA rules stated that two clubs under the same ownership can't compete in different European competitions. As Sir Jim Ratcliffe has stakes in both Man United and Ligue 1 team Nice, it would have been impossible for both clubs to play in Europe.

Despite a 2-0 loss to Rennes on Saturday, Nice are well-positioned to qualify for next season's Champions League as they currently sit fourth in the Ligue 1 table.

Last year, the regulations were tweaked to accommodate multiple clubs under the same ownership, with each case being evaluated individually. This is evident in Manchester City and Girona, both part of the City Group, participating in this season's tournament.

United have already encountered issues due to Ratcliffe's involvement with Nice, as seen when Jean-Clair Todibo's move to Old Trafford was blocked. However, there are two reasons for United to remain optimistic about the situation.

Ratcliffe is reportedly considering selling the French club. If the sale goes through before a specific date, assuming United wins the Europa League and Nice secures a Champions League qualification spot, there should be no problems.

Furthermore, it has been clarified that there isn't a one-size-fits-all rule for every situation. Even if Ratcliffe retains stakes in both clubs, there's still a possibility for both to compete among Europe's top teams, as indicated by a UEFA statement.

The statement asserted that "no one is simultaneously involved, directly or indirectly, in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition; and no one has control or decisive influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition."

Therefore, all that's really required is evidence that the two clubs aren't managed concurrently. Ratcliffe's intention to sell his stake in Nice could certainly strengthen their case if the worst happens.

Tottenham face Crystal Palace this afternoon and one of the players to have featured for both in recent years was previously involved in a transfer drama that left Sir Alex Ferguson fuming

Of the 17 players to have played for both Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League era, Zeki Fryers is among the more likely who would go down as a Pointless answer.

But the left back was once part of a controversial transfer that left Sir Alex Ferguson fuming and calling for a Football Association investigation into what he claimed was “blatant manipulation.”

Fryers had left United for Belgian club Standard Liege in August 2012 for a small compensation fee after Spurs refused to pay £6m. Except by the following January Spurs had paid Standard £3m for Fryers, who claimed he was feeling homesick.

"I'm disappointed in Tottenham. I think it's a blatant manipulation of the situation," Ferguson said not long after the transfer to north London went through. "I think the league should look into it and I think they should stop his registration until they examine it."

Tottenham claimed afterwards that they only made a second approach for Fryers after being made aware that he was not enjoying life in Belgium.

A Spurs spokesman said at the time: "Zeki enjoyed his time at Standard, however, when Standard sacked their manager in November Zeki wasn't part of the new manager's plans which he accepts and understands happens in football. Unfortunately, a combination of this and the fact he had become homesick meant he wanted to return to England.

"His representatives made contact with clubs in England. This afforded us a second opportunity to sign the player and as per Fifa's solidarity contribution mechanism, Manchester United will receive 5 per cent of the transfer fee we have paid."

Standard Liege later issued a statement which read: "The young defender felt homesick and had difficulty acclimating to life away from home and family. So when the London club became interested we understood the situation and were not opposed to the return of the player in England."

But fuming Ferguson added: "They tried to buy him from us at the end of last season. They then took him on trial and said they couldn't afford him and all of a sudden he signed for Standard Liege. I expected him to go to Tottenham in the January transfer window. The league should look into it."

Fryers, who was most recently playing in the Swedish third tier, went on to make 16 appearances in 18 months at Spurs before moving to Palace, for whom he made 14 appearances.

Ange Postecoglou has Tottenham within 90 minutes of Europa League glory but has been tipped to quit the Premier League club if he delivers European success this month

Ally McCoist believes Ange Postecoglou could still quit Tottenham if he wins the Europa League - which would see him stick by his vow to win a trophy in his second season. The Australian has copped criticism for a poor domestic campaign, but his side have excelled in Europe.

Only Manchester United stand between Tottenham and ending their trophy drought, which dates back to 2008. They will play for the Europa League trophy, and a spot in next season's Champions League, when they contest the final in Bilbao later this month.

Postecoglou has remained defiant that he's the man to lead the north Londoners and referenced his history of always delivering silverware in his second season in any job.

He's on course to deliver, but the end of his first season was marred by suggestions they should lose to Manchester City late in the day. Thus sacrificing their own top four hopes, but preventing Arsenal from winning the title - a demand that went down poorly with Postecoglou.

McCoist has called into question the club's ambition with some fans making such pleas and believes Postecoglou may consider it job done if he can succeed where Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte failed - by winning a trophy for the club - and walk away.

He told talkSPORT BET: “Something tells me that if Ange Postecoglou wins Tottenham the Europa League, he’ll say he’s done his job and call it a day at Spurs,” he said. “I hope he stays, but I’m not sure he wants to. It’s just a hunch, I’ve got no idea what Ange will do, but I just have a feeling he’ll move on after delivering on his promise of winning a trophy in his second season – that is, if he does win it!

“I was reminded of last season when Spurs needed to lose to Manchester City in order to stop Arsenal from potentially winning the title. A lot of Spurs fans wanted to throw that game away, in contrast to Ange, who held the belief of trying to win every game possible, no matter its implications on other teams. I think that’s when he got a glimpse of the mindset. Whatever way you look at it, it’s a small club mentality!”

Tottenham fans have protested against the club's hierarchy, most notably Daniel Levy, following their worst domestic season in nearly two decades. Levy has shown himself more than willing to sack managers at bizarre times, famously axing Mourinho before the Carabao Cup final.

Postecoglou has shrugged off Tottenham's domestic struggles, where they've lost 19 league games, and insists his side deserve to be European finalists.

"I mean, who cares if we're struggling in the league? It's a separate thing. It's got nothing to do with league form," he said. "I couldn't care less who's struggling and who's not. I think both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there."