ESPN

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-Min has filed a complaint to South Korean police alleging he was the victim of a blackmail attempt, his agency said on Thursday, after media reports that a woman had threatened him with a false pregnancy claim.

"The police are currently investigating, so we will let you know the results as soon as they are available," his agency Son & Football Limited said in a statement. "We'd like to tell you that Son Heung-Min is clearly the victim of this incident."

Police had arrested a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, and were investigating allegations they tried to extort money from Son with the fake pregnancy claim, local media reported on Thursday, citing police.

The Seoul Gangnam Police Station did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.

Son, 32 is hugely popular in South Korea, not only for his success on the pitch in England's Premier League but also for his dedication to the country's national team as its captain.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-Min has filed a complaint to South Korean police alleging he was the victim of a blackmail attempt, his agency said on Thursday, after media reports that a woman had threatened him with a false pregnancy claim.

"The police are currently investigating, so we will let you know the results as soon as they are available," his agency Son & Football Limited said in a statement. "We'd like to tell you that Son Heung-Min is clearly the victim of this incident."

Police had arrested a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s, and were investigating allegations they tried to extort money from Son with the fake pregnancy claim, local media reported on Thursday, citing police.

The Seoul Gangnam Police Station did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.

Son, 32 is hugely popular in South Korea, not only for his success on the pitch in England's Premier League but also for his dedication to the country's national team as its captain.

Dejan Kulusevski is set to miss Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League final against Manchester United next Wednesday after undergoing surgery on the knee injury he suffered against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

In a statement confirming the injury, Spurs stopped short of confirming the timeframe for Kulusevski's recovery, but with the match in Bilbao just seven days away, it is likely that Ange Postecoglou will be able to call upon just three fit senior midfielders for the clash with United -- Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr.

"Following further specialist consultation, the midfielder has undergone surgery today and will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff immediately," the north London club said in a statement.

Lucas Bergvall suffered an ankle injury in training before Spurs' semifinal first leg victory over Bodo/Glimt and will miss the remainder of the campaign as a result. James Maddison will also miss the final after he suffered a knee injury against the Norwegian side.

Speaking after the Palace game in which Kulusevski was substituted in the 19th minute after receiving treatment on the pitch, Postecoglou suggested the injury would not keep him out of the final.

Asked about the extent of Kulusevski's issue, Postecoglou said: "He should be OK [from] just talking to him after.

"The medical team is not too concerned with him. It's more of a knock than anything else. We are hoping he should be OK."

Kulusevski was a regular in Postecoglou's starting XI during the first half of the campaign, but a foot injury in March kept him sidelined for two months. His absence coincided with the emergence of the 19-year-old Bergvall and Maddison's return to form. However, all three have had their seasons ended by injury over the last two weeks.

Injuries have been a constant theme of Postecoglou's second season in charge but the timing of Kulusevski, Bergvall and Maddison's respective absences could hardly have been worse for Spurs' under-pressure head coach.

Spurs' dismal league campaign has left them languishing in 17th place in the Premier League table -- one place above the relegation zone -- with only the possibility of a triumph in the Europa League left to salvage something from the season.

If Spurs do overcome United -- who they have beaten three times in all competitions already the season -- it would see them qualify for the Champions League and represent their first trophy since 2008.

Tottenham Hotspur are planning to parade the Europa League trophy in front of their fans if they win the final despite opponents Manchester United indicating they will not hold a major celebration if they are victorious in Bilbao, sources have told ESPN.

Tottenham will attempt to win their first piece of silverware since 2008 when they meet United in the Europa League final in Spain next week.

A source has told ESPN that Spurs, who sit one place above the relegation places in the Premier League after a miserable domestic campaign, are keen to hold a parade if they win.

United, however, will not do the same if they win the final. The club have traditionally decided against holding open-top bus parades after winning cups.

There was no parade after winning the FA Cup in 2016, the Carabao Cup and Europa League in 2017, the Carabao Cup in 2023 or the FA Cup in 2024.

The last United parade was held to celebrate their 20th title in 2013, also the year of Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.

United would struggle to find time to hold a parade even if there was a desire to organise one.

Following the Europa League final on May 21, Ruben Amorim's team play their final Premier League fixture of the season against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on May 25.

The squad are then due to fly to Malaysia immediately after the game for a two-match post-season tour. Following their return, a number of players will be expected to join up with their national teams for international fixtures in June.

Speaking about the post-season tour, Amorim said: "We need to help the club, because the club wins some money.

"We are going to connect with our fans around the world. And that is important, especially when we lose and we disappoint our supporters during this tough season.

"So I think it's the least we can do. And we are going to take all the team, young kids also, we'll have the staff there. We have a lot of changes in the staff, so we are trying to build something as a family. I think it's also a good thing."

The 2024-25 Women's Super League (WSL) season is over and Chelsea have been crowed champions for the sixth successive year. Many predicted that the Blues might struggle in the wake of losing legendary manager Emma Hayes last summer but Sonia Bompastor has made a mockery of those suggestions by leading the team to an unbeaten season, a record points total (60) and League Cup success, with an FA Cup final to come against Manchester United next weekend.

Arsenal pipped United to second place, while last year's runners-up Manchester City struggled with injuries, sacked manager Gareth Taylor and only managed to finish fourth.

Elsewhere, inconsistency dogged Liverpool and Brighton in their push to break into the top four, while Tottenham had one of their worst seasons ever to finish 11th after winning just five of their 22 games under Robert Vilaham. And, as so often happens in the women's top flight, the promoted team (in this case, Crystal Palace) went straight back down.

Next year will see Michele Kang's London City Lionesses become the first independent women's club to play in the WSL, so that could change, but for now let's look back at the season.

TEAM GRADES

CHELSEA (A+)

Given their sixth-consecutive title and an unbeaten run (19 wins, three draws from 22 games) all season in the league, it's impossible to argue that Chelsea do not deserve the highest grade possible. It was a seamless transition during Sonia Bompastor's first year -- you wouldn't know Emma Hayes had left with how dominant the Blues have been. A record points tally (60), beating their former record of 58, tops off an impeccable campaign.

ARSENAL (B-)

It's been a frustrating season for Arsenal. It started slow, as they won only one of their first four games, and Jonas Eidevall resigned in October. Then there was a rebirth under Renée Slegers, who was appointed full-time in January. But the Gunners dropped off at the end of the season, conceding 12 goals (46% of their overall tally) in their last three games. Despite reaching their first European final in 18 years -- they face Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final on May 24 -- the domestic campaign has left a lot to be desired and they finished 12 points behind Chelsea.

MANCHESTER UNITED (B)

Despite putting in an exceptional defensive campaign, with the joint-most clean sheets, United's lack of clinical finishing left them struggling for answers in games they should have won comfortably. While ending the season in third place rather than fifth (as they did last year) shows improvement, it's hard to see where the team are growing. An FA Cup win next weekend would allow them to go out on a high, but they'll need some investment if they are to mount a serious title challenge.

MANCHESTER CITY (C-)

City's campaign has been anything but positive. It all started well, with six wins from seven games, but collapsed as five defeats ensured they failed to qualify for Europe and finished fourth. Last season's runners-up closed the gap so many times but were undone by their own misfortunes. Their injury crisis didn't help, neither did Gareth Taylor's sacking five days before their League Cup final loss to Chelsea. The only way is up next season.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (B)

Brighton pulled out some pretty impressive results -- including a win over Arsenal and draw against Chelsea -- and looked like they might challenge for the top four early on. Yet in games you'd think they'd win easily, they struggled immensely. Ultimately, that inconsistency sealed their fate as they finished 15 points off City, but there are positives for manager Dario Vidosic to build on from his debut campaign.

ASTON VILLA (C+)

If you were to rank Villa's opening half of the season, it would be a D. But their second half of the season, which included five straight wins to take them from 11th to sixth, would rate as an A. That turbulence has made it hard to grade the season as a whole, but the turnaround under new manager Natalia Arroyo has been nothing short of remarkable.

LIVERPOOL (B-)

After their fourth-placed finish last season, Liverpool will be disappointed to fall to seventh. They lost their grip on the top half of the table toward the end of the season, as coach Matt Beard was sacked in February, and it was a repeated narrative for the Reds: poor defending, injuries, and a lack of clinical finishing. Something needs to change soon or they could face further disappointment and it's unclear if interim boss Amber Whiteley will remain in charge.

EVERTON (B-)

There have been plenty of positives this season -- including doing the double over local rivals Liverpool for the first time since 2012 -- but it consistently feels like Everton are stuck in the middle of the pack and they struggled horribly with injuries to key players again. Backing manager Brian Sørensen with another contract, plus new investment following the club's takeover, means the future looks bright. But more is needed for them to push on.

WEST HAM UNITED (A-)

It was a disappointing end for West Ham, who were on track to finish in the top half of the table before one win from their last five games. Yet they've often been the surprise team of the campaign -- notching draws against Chelsea, Man United and Man City -- with Shekiera Martinez (10) and Viviane Asseyi (9) providing plenty of goals. The pieces might finally be falling into place for manager Rehanne Skinner.

LEICESTER CITY (D)

An injury crisis threatened to derail Leicester's season -- at one point the side had no fit forwards available. Yet they responded well to clinch a 1-1 draw against a Chelsea side that had won nine out of nine games in December. With other lower-table teams picking up wins, Leicester needed good home wins over Villa, Liverpool and Brighton in 2025 to keep clear of danger and were helped by Crystal Palace's early drop-off. Warning signs have been there for Leicester for some time and another season passes without much improvement.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (F)

Having secured a sixth-placed finish and a spot in the FA Cup final last season, many tipped Spurs to push on. But instead they have massively regressed. Five wins from 22 games isn't good enough for this side but their defence was poor and conceded the joint second-most goals in the league (44). There have been few positives this season and manager Robert Vilahamn's job will be on the line this summer.

CRYSTAL PALACE (D)

The disparity between the first and second tier of English women's football has, once again, been made clear. Like many of the promoted teams before them, Palace were unable to sustain their place in the WSL after only one season and drop back to the Championship after conceding 65 goals and picking up only two wins. There were positives, but a lack of experience and resources sealed their fate with two games remaining. Sacking manager Laura Kaminski in February also didn't help. -- Emily Keogh

SEASON-LEADING STATS

The WSL trophy and Golden Boot award honor the best team and goal scorer respectively, but football is about more than just that. Here, we look at the standout players from the season in a multitude of different skill categories, using data from FBref. And the numbers don't lie.

Best creator: Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal)

Caldentey has been one of the most influential players this season, as evidenced by her winning the Player of the Season award, and her 14 goal contributions (9 goals and 5 assists) were only bettered by West Ham's Viviane Asseyi and Man United's Elisabeth Terland (15 each). However, Caldentey accrued the league's highest expected assist (xA) tally of 6.9, while the Spain international was also the only player to record over 100 shot-creating actions (104), with 88 of them coming from open play.

Most overperforming xG: Shekiera Martinez (West Ham United)

The 23-year-old averaged a goal contribution every 90 minutes: including four goals against Crystal Palace, a brace against Chelsea, and one against Arsenal. Only Man City's Khadija Shaw (12) and Arsenal's Alessia Russo (11) scored more non-penalty goals than the Germany U20 international (10), despite her only returning from her loan at Freiburg midway through the season in January. But her 10 goals came from an impressive expected goals (xG) tally of 5.5.

Best in the box: Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

Russo's ability to threaten inside the box has been a vital addition to Arsenal's attack and the England forward registered 149 touches in the opposition area this season, the most by any player in the WSL. Indeed, she has been a constant outlet for the Gunners in behind, getting on the end of 137 progressive passes and was caught offside 26 times -- 10 more than her nearest rival.

Best in the air: Sophie Román Haug (Liverpool)

No player has contested or won more aerial duels than the Norway international this season (88/140 aerial duels won). She may only be 5-foot-7, but Roman Haug is one of just two players to win over 50 aerial duels in this season alongside Crystal Palace's Katie Stengel (51). Much like Liverpool men's player Diogo Jota, it's her aerial technique that makes her such a dominant figure rather than her height, and it adds a further dimension to the team's attacking structure.

Best all-action defender: Ashleigh Neville (Tottenham Hotspur)

While Tottenham had a poor overall season, finishing second from bottom, Neville put up great defensive numbers. The 32-year-old full-back, who has played on the right and left this season, has been a behemoth in defence and no player won more tackles (73) or intercepted the ball more times (44) than her. Neville's 42 blocks was also second behind Crystal Palace's Lexi Potter (45).

Best at recovering the ball: Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City)

Playing as the defensive midfielder often requires you to tidy up loose balls, screen the defence and initiate attacks, among other things. And, with 174 recoveries, no player recovered the ball more than Hasegawa. The Japan international did all the defensive work while committing no fouls in her 1,935 minutes -- the most by any outfielder.

Best goalkeeper: Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United)

Tullis-Joyce had big shoes to fill at Manchester United this summer in replacing Mary Earps, but she kept 13 clean sheets in her 22 league games and shared the Golden Glove award with Chelsea's Hannah Hampton.

In the chart below we can quantify a goalkeeper's impact on their side by looking at the goals saved tally. This metric allows us to see how many goals a goalkeeper would have conceded based on the number of shots on target they faced. And the 28-year-old tops the charts by having stopped 6.8 goals for her side.

Best at drawing fouls: Olivia Smith (Liverpool)

Nimble forwards are a delight to watch; anything is possible with the ball at their feet as they twist, turn and create issues for the defenders. Among the WSL players to have played over 900 minutes this season, no one drew fouls at a better rate than Smith (2.64 fouls won per 90 minutes) and the 20-year-old wreaked havoc against Man City, Man United and Arsenal. Nine of the fouls drawn led to shots, with only West Ham's Asseyi recording more (10).

Best at threading the needle: Grace Clinton (Manchester United)

A through-ball is one of the most threatening passes in the game and Manchester United's Clinton recorded eight. The 22-year-old midfielder has played some of her best football this season, scoring eight times, though none of her deliveries resulted in an assist.

Best at switching play: Millie Bright (Chelsea)

Chelsea ran away with the league title, with Bright at the heart of things, but it wasn't just her defensive qualities that made the 31-year-old centre-back valuable. Her 17 switch passes were the most by any player and, among players with over 100 attempted long balls this season, she had the second-best completion rate (71%), only behind Manchester City's Laia Aleixandri (75%).

Most reliable outfielder: Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United)

Le Tissier was key to United's solid defence and her impeccable fitness and availability saw her become the only outfield player to start and finish every single league game in the WSL this season. In fact, she has started and finished all league games in four of her last five WSL seasons, never missing a game due to injury or suspension. Her importance to the Red Devils is also shown by her comfort on the ball and she accounted for 13.1% of United's total open-play touches this season, the highest share of any player. -- Yash Thakur

The finish line is in sight across the European leagues, and there is tension everywhere as clubs jostle for positions in the standings.

Well, most clubs are anyway. In the case Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, it was another two woeful losses in the Premier League as their focus shifts fully towards the UEFA Europa League final.

In Spain, Barcelona once again came back to break Real Madrid hearts, this time in a 4-3 humdinger at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, while in Germany, league champions Bayern Munich got to say farewell to a legend in Thomas Müller.

All that and more in this edition of Weekend Review as Luis Miguel Echegaray, Sam Marsden and Constantin Eckner look across Europe for the big takeaways and highlights from the weekend.

Premier League

Top takeaway: Man United, Tottenham lose again

You can read our recap of Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Arsenal here, so let me begin this weekend's review with the Europa League finalists.

Both played at home on Sunday and suffered the same fate as Manchester United (16th) lost 2-0 to West Ham United whilst Tottenham Hotspur (17th) suffered defeat to Crystal Palace by the same scoreline. Ruben Amorim's side cannot finish higher than 13th place as a result of their latest loss -- making this their worst season in the Premier League and worst in the top-flight since 1973-1974 when they were relegated. In that campaign, United also suffered 17 league losses. There is no fluidity to their game, nor is there a consistency to their shape of strategy when they have the ball. And I have to be honest, I think they would have been in serious relegation problems had it not been for the presence of Bruno Fernandes.

How about Spurs? In their second season under Ange Postecoglou, the North London side were horrific against Palace as the wonderful Eberechi Eze carved them out with a brace and quite frankly, it could have been more for Oliver Glasner's Eagles. It was Tottenham's 20th defeat of the season.

The question, therefore, begs to be asked: Will this season's Europa League final host the worst two finalists in history? If we're basing it solely on table standings: absolutely. And this includes UEFA Cup's history. Back in 1993-1994, Internazionale finished 13th, avoided relegation by a point in Serie A (four teams went down in a table of 18 teams) and still managed to win the aforementioned UEFA Cup against Austria Salzburg (now known as RB Salzburg) so that would be the closest comparison. But this final in Bilbao? It speaks for breaking any record, both statistically (16th against 17th with a combined 37 league losses) and aesthetically. The fact that one of these teams will play in the Champions League next season is almost insulting.

Best match: Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester City

On paper and to the neutral, this would have seemed like an automatic win for Forest, who remain stoic in their historic hunt for Champions League football. A game at City Ground against the already-relegated Leicester City? Too easy, surely.

But what both these fanbases will remind you is that this is an East Midlands derby so there is always room for tension. Leicester didn't care that they were already down, they weren't here just to make up numbers. They led 1-0 and after Forest came back to make it 2-1, Ruud van Nistelrooy's men kept pushing and it was the introduction of Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Facundo Buonanotte that made the difference. His 81st minute goal made it 2-2 and that's how the game ended, thus severely damaging Forest's hopes of a top-five finish.

At the final whistle, Forest owner Evangelos Marinaki stormed the pitch venting his frustration at Nuno Espirito Santo, which was a terrible show of support and an act of horrible taste. I think we have to remind the Greek owner that the mere fact that Forest are even in this situation is nothing short of remarkable.

Best goal: Eberechi Eze vs. Tottenham

The 26-year-old attacker already had the opener in the 45th minute thanks to Daniel Muñoz's assist and then continued on his threatening mood three minutes into the second half. It was a quick counter from Palace as Eze drove the ball forward from inside his own half until finding Ismaïla Sarr with a delicious pass with the outside of his foot. He kept running towards the box as Sarr returned the favor, finding Eze, who slotted past Spurs keeper Antonín Kinský. Eze is a tremendous talent and there is no reason why Glasner's side could not beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

MVP of the weekend: Matty Cash

It's quite simple really. Aston Villa have to keep winning in order to stand a chance for Champions League football and this included this past weekend when Unai Emery's men faced AFC Bournemouth, who have European ambitions of their own.

Cash had the daunting task of dealing with the menacing runs of Milos Kerkez and handled it very well. But it was in the final moments of the game where Cash delivered heroics. Villa were leading 1-0 but playing with 10 men after Jacob Ramsey's red card in the 80th minute. The Cherries kept pushing for the equalizer and with seconds to go, Antoine Semenyo put in a ball inside the box heading towards Emiliano Martínez's far post where Daniel Jebbison was ready to meet it and make it 1-1. The Aston Villa goalkeeper put a hand to it but it was still heading towards Jebbison. But Cash put his body on the line to clear the danger and ensured his team's lead. A vital intervention from the Poland international that helped his team earn three incredibly important points. -- Echegaray

LaLiga

Top takeaway: Trouble brewing at Sevilla

One of Spain's biggest clubs are in genuine relegation trouble and it's getting ugly.

On Saturday, Sevilla lost 3-2 away at 10-man Celta Vigo to continue their slide down the table. The decision to sack García Pimienta and replace him with Joaquín Caparrós has not paid off. They have now failed to win in eight games, four under Caparrós, and, with just three matches to play, are only four points clear of the drop zone.

They host relegation rivals Las Palmas on Tuesday at the Sánchez-Pizjuán and then finish the season with difficult fixtures against Real Madrid and Champions League-chasing Villarreal.

The club's supporters are getting nervous. On Saturday, after the squad returned to the training ground from Vigo, a group of angry fans forced their way into the premises and barricaded the players inside.

Sevilla confirmed that the players had to spend the night at the training base to avoid any trouble, with local media reporting police used rubber bullets to clear out the most aggressive groups.

"Sevilla will report to the relevant authorities the unusual violent attacks on its employees, players, technical staff and management upon their arrival at the training complex," the club said in a statement.

Best match: Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid

How could it not be the Clásico? Barça came from 2-0 down to beat Madrid 4-3 and put one hand on the LaLiga title. After romping to their fourth consecutive victory over Madrid this season, Hansi Flick's side need just two more points from their final three league fixtures. For the second time in three years, they could even seal the title away at city rivals Espanyol on Thursday.

Best goal: Lamine Yamal vs. Real Madrid

To borrow an old phrase: the teenager is still not a great goal-scorer, but he is a scorer of great goals. Case in point was his brilliant equaliser against Madrid. It looked like there was no room to get a shot away in a crowded box, but he found a way through a bunch of Madrid bodies, angling the ball into the corner and leaving Thibaut Courtois no chance.

MVP of the weekend: Alexander Sørloth

Sørloth stated his case to start more games for Atlético Madrid next season by scoring the earliest hat trick in LaLiga history against his former side Real Sociedad. The Norwegian's treble came inside 11 minutes, with just five minutes separating his first goal from his third, and then he went on to score a fourth goal on the half-hour mark as Atlético won 4-0. The best part? Sørloth told ESPN after the game it's not even the best four-goal haul he's netted in LaLiga.

"I think last season [when he scored four vs. Real Madrid for Villarreal] was better," he said, "because it was against a better opponent." -- Marsden

Bundesliga

Top takeaway: Thomas Müller's final home game

Bayern Munich secured their 34th German championship last week, so a lot of smiles in and around the Allianz Arena were to be expected. Just like a few tears among Bayern Munich supporters, because their beloved forward Müller had to say "Auf Wiedersehen" to his fans. Müller made his first appearance for the first team in 2008 and has since played 750 competitive games, winning countless national and European titles.

For many years, the saying, "You never sub off Müller" was held in high regard among fans, meaning that managers who did not fully trust the fan favourite received suspicious looks. Müller's team faced a bravely defending and countering Borussia Monchengladbach side which definitely wanted to become party poopers. But Manuel Neuer, who made his return after a lengthy absence due to a muscle tear in his calf, denied several promising attempts by the guests.

Meanwhile, Müller tried to get into a position for a final goal at the Allianz Arena but remained unlucky throughout the game. He was subbed off in the 84th minute, as his teammates stood in line for him while fans were chanting, "Müller, Müller, Müller." Following Bayern's 2-0 win, they were handed over the Meisterschale, with Müller being the first to lift the trophy which had been absent from Bayern's stadium for a year. It was an emotional day all around in Munich.

Best match: Union Berlin 0-3 Heidenheim

With an empathic win over Union, who are in no man's land in the standings, Heidenheim keep their chances to avoid relegation alive. The guests were quite effective in offense, as they converted their first chances against an underwhelming Union side. While Kiel and Bochum lost their respective games on Saturday, Heidenheim will at least qualify for the relegation playoffs against the third-placed team of 2. Bundesliga.

Best goal: Michael Olise vs. Gladbach

Bayern managed to seal the deal late, minutes after Müller had left the field. Leroy Sané moved into position from the right wind and then dummied a shot before playing a precise pass through the opposing line to Olise. The Frenchman hit the ball with the outside of his boot, sending it into the corner. It was a great way to get the championship celebrations rolling.

MVP of the weekend: Manuel Neuer

The 39-year-old had missed 10 games after suffering a muscle injury in early March, with up-and-comer Jonas Urbig replacing the veteran goalkeeper for the time being. Neuer made his comeback on Saturday against Borussia Mönchengladbach and turned out to be a nightmare for the visitors. Particularly in the second half, Neuer managed to make a number of saves on route to a clean sheet. The expectation is that Neuer intends to play a final season with Bayern before calling it a day. -- Eckner

What else you missed this weekend

Final spot for the Champions League in Serie A is coming down to the wire

It's not just the Premier League where we have a dramatic race for remaining Champions League spots. In Italy, fourth place is up for contention. After Napoli, Internazionale and Atalanta there is a legitimate battle for UCL between six teams. Juventus currently hold fourth place but Saturday's 1-1 draw against fifth-placed Lazio means that other teams below them can take advantage.

AS Roma play a difficult game away at Atalanta on Monday and they need a win in order to overtake Juventus and Lazio in the standings. Serie A favors head-to-head and, because Roma drew with Juve twice this season, goal differential takes precedence and that's currently led by Juventus.

Eze double hands Palace win, Spurs 20th EPL loss

Eberechi Eze scored on either side of halftime to give Crystal Palace a 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and condemn the hosts to their 20th Premier League defeat of the season.

May 11, 2025, 05:25 pm - Reuters

Eberechi Eze scored on either side of halftime to give Crystal Palace a 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and condemn the hosts to their 20th Premier League defeat of the season.

Palace's first league win since early April kept them in 12th place with 49 points - equalling their best-ever points tally in the Premier League with two games left in the season.

Both teams had little to play for, but the clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium still had an air of optimism about it, with Palace having reached the FA Cup final and Spurs within touching distance of Europa League glory.

The home fans' cheer quickly evaporated, however, and they were subjected to a frustrating afternoon in which Palace had the hosts on the ropes from the get-go.

"Good performance. We did everything we needed to do today. Energy and we won our duels. We're in a good position for next week [FA Cup final]," Eze told Sky Sports.

"The final means everything. We have to put ourselves in the best position and today was a good step towards that. We're confident and we need to do what we do, be the best version of ourselves and anything is possible."

Palace repeatedly tore through Tottenham's defence with ease and put the ball in the net in the eighth minute but Ismaïla Sarr's goal was ruled out to due to an offside in the build-up.

Oliver Glasner's side created a string of chances and had another goal disallowed in the 43rd minute after Maxence Lacroix's header glanced off team mate Marc Guéhi's arm before crossing the line.

They finally broke the deadlock just before halftime when winger Daniel Muñoz bombed down the right flank and squared the ball to Eze for a tap in.

Three minutes after the interval Tottenham were rocked by another sweeping attack as Eze ghosted into the box and calmly slotted home Sarr's pass to net his seventh league goal of the season.

The goal drew a reaction from a listless Tottenham but despite their efforts they could not piece together any truly threatening attacks, while Palace almost added a third when Eddie Nketiah drew a sharp save from Antonin Kinsky in the 92nd minute.

For Tottenham, who have only one win in 10 league games, the defeat extended an abysmal run and dropped them into 17th place in the standings after West Ham United beat Manchester United.

The north-London club, who have only the already-relegated trio of Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton below them, are on course for their lowest finish since the 1976-77 season, when they finished 22nd and were relegated from the top-flight.

They were also dealt an injury blow when attacker Dejan Kulusevski went off injured after only 19 minutes - a significant concern for manager Ange Postecoglou with just 10 days until their Europa League final against United.

"It was disappointing, we never really got into the game and we didn't control it at any time...," Postecoglou told Sky Sports.

"I'm disappointed, it's clear we're not anywhere near the level we need to be. We're making changes and the guys are getting opportunities."

For the first time in six years, the UEFA Europa League final will be contested between two clubs from the same country, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur set to contest an all-English clash at the San Mamés stadium in Bilbao on May 21.

Of course, while not strictly a "derby" in the purest sense (i.e. a match between two local rival clubs), finals between two clubs from the same country are still relatively rare in continental competition.

Man United vs. Spurs will be only the 10th example of a "country derby" final in the history of the Europa League, which was originally launched in 1971-72 as the UEFA Cup -- coincidentally, that season produced the first, as Spurs beat Wolverhampton Wanderers over two legs (a format that was not changed until 1998). This season will also mark the first Europa League final between compatriot clubs since 2018-19, when Chelsea thrashed Arsenal 4-1 in Baku.

If you combine both Europa League and UEFA Champions League, there have been only 18 "country derby" finals in UEFA competition, with the latter having staged eight instances since being introduced as the European Cup back in 1955-56. Indeed, the most recent example in the Champions League was also an intra-Anglo affair, with Chelsea beating Manchester City in Porto in 2021.

Here is a look back at all 18 "country derby" finals to have graced UEFA club competition history since the 1950s, ranking them all in order of their sporting excellence, enduring impact and entertainment value.

Remembered as one of the least entertaining Champions League finals on record, the 2002-03 final at Old Trafford saw two Italian giants produce a dour, standoffish display like two heavyweight boxers reluctant to engage with each other. After 120 minutes of gritty attrition, AC Milan finally managed to squeeze past their old rivals on penalties, with Andriy Shevchenko slotting home the decisive effort to bring things to a merciful conclusion. However, both goalkeepers -- Dida for Milan; Gianluigi Buffon for Juventus -- were criticized in the aftermath for routinely failing to stay on their lines during the shootout.

The first-ever final in any UEFA competition contested between two Portuguese clubs, the 2010-11 event in Dublin was decided by a lone goal from FC Porto's Radamel Falcao. The Colombia striker broke through Braga's uber-defensive blockade to score just seconds before half-time with what proved to be the only shot on target from Andre Villas-Boas' side in the entire night. Drab stuff.

Contested by a pair of Italian clubs for the second year running, the 1990-91 UEFA Cup final was won by Inter Milan, who lifted the trophy despite losing in their final game of the competition. Under the two-leg format, Inter secured a 2-0 victory at San Siro before losing by a single goal at Roma's Stadio Olimpico in the second leg, which arguably took a little of the shine off the Nerazzurri's big moment.

The third UEFA Cup final to take place between opposition from the same country marked the first instance of two Italian clubs coming faccia a faccia [face to face] in the competition's history. The first of two consecutive all-Italian UEFA Cup finals produced a rather one-sided affair that saw the Bianconeri take charge in the first leg to win 3-1 before grinding out a 0-0 draw at Fiorentina in the second leg to claim the prize. Just a couple of months later, five players from this game would help host-nation Italy reach the 1990 World Cup semifinals, including breakout star Salvatore Schillaci and future Ballon d'Or winner Roberto Baggio.

Parma were pitted against three-time UEFA Cup winners Juventus, only for the underdogs to seal a slim aggregate victory. Parma first nudged ahead with a 1-0 victory at the Stadio Ennio Tardini before wrapping things up with a 1-1 draw at San Siro two weeks later. Despite fielding a sprightly front two of Gianfranco Zola and Faustino Asprilla, it was two goals from midfielder Dino Baggio that ultimately saw the Gialloblu lift the UEFA Cup for the first time -- a feat they then repeated four years later when their star-studded side of 1998-99 vanquished Marseille at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

With Spurs appearing in their first European Cup/Champions League final and Liverpool in their ninth, the 2018-19 climax in Madrid was the fourth final of the decade to feature two clubs from the same country. Perhaps exhausted by their pulsating semifinal comeback against Ajax, Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs side failed to ignite as Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool completed what proved to be a straightforward victory. The two decisive goals came at each end of regulation time, with Mohamed Salah nudging the Reds ahead from the penalty spot with roughly 100 seconds on the clock, before Divock Origi sealed the deal in the 87th minute. In between, Spurs gave a better account of themselves than many remember, with Alisson making eight saves and being named Man of the Match, but the Reds were rightful winners.

Having fallen short of the final for several seasons, Manchester City were desperate to win the Champions League in order to fulfil their manifest destiny. They saw a one-off game against familiar foes Chelsea as a golden opportunity to get their hands on the cup, but things didn't go to script as the Blues circumvented Pep Guardiola's overwrought gameplan to emerge victorious in Porto. Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel, who had only arrived in January to replace Frank Lampard, lifted the trophy on the second attempt -- having been on the losing side with Paris Saint-Germain the previous season. In the end, the encounter was settled by a solitary goal from Kai Havertz, which was prodded home past the onrushing goalkeeper Ederson just a few minutes before half-time. Hardly a stinker, but hardly a classic either.

Introduced as a replacement for the old Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the inaugural season of the new UEFA Cup format saw two clubs from the English First Division reach the two-legged final staged at Molineux and White Hart Lane respectively. Tottenham won the first leg 2-1 thanks to a stunning 25-yard goal scored by England international Martin Chivers in the 87th minute. They then held Wolves to a 1-1 draw to claim their second-ever piece of European silverware, having lifted the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1962-63.

The 1997-98 UEFA Cup saw the decision made to scrap two-legged finals in favor of a single, winner-takes-all conclusion to the competition that was hoped would enhance the luster of the grand climax, rather than having it played out over two comparatively disparate fixtures a fortnight apart. We're not saying that the inaugural single-leg final was a formality, but Inter were one of the most decorated Italian clubs in Europe, and Lazio had never reached a European final, with a run to the quarterfinals in 1994-95 their best attempt. Goals from Iván Zamorano, Javier Zanetti and Ronaldo Nazário settled the tie for the Nerazzurri at the Parc des Princes, with the young Brazil striker living to his "O Fenômeno" nickname by being named Man of the Match.

Expertly marshalled by Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid held their nerve to be crowned champions of Europe for an 11th time by neutralizing cross-city rivals Atlético Madrid for 120 minutes before eliminating them in a penalty shootout. Ramos tapped in from close range to put Los Blancos ahead early on, but Diego Simeone's side mounted a characteristic fightback, with Antoine Griezmann thumping a penalty off the crossbar before Yannick Carrasco equalized late to send the tie to extra time. In the shootout, the two sides exchanged blows to reach 3-3 with Ramos then slamming home to make it 4-3, at which point Juanfran hit the post. Up stepped Cristiano Ronaldo under San Siro's floodlights and, true to form, the Champions League's all-time top scorer delivered the winning strike and immediately whipped off his shirt in celebration.

With Borussia Mönchengladbach reaching the final as defending champions, few expected the cup to be changing hands since Eintracht Frankfurt finished the season smack bang in the middle of the Bundesliga. Sure enough, Frankfurt lost 3-2 at Gladbach in the first leg and looked to be down and out. However, the whole tie was then turned on its head in the 81st minute of the second leg when Fred Schaub notched a pivotal away goal to dramatically tip the balance in their favor on away goals -- much to the surprise and delight of the majority of the 59,000 fans in attendance at the Waldstadion.

The first-ever all-German Champions League final saw Bayern Munich stampede to victory at Wembley in a season in which they claimed a league, cup and European treble under popular coach Jupp Heynckes. Bayern finished 25 points ahead of second-place Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and once again were able to swat their visibly tiring rivals aside. Goals from Mario Mandzukic and the irrepressible Arjen Robben saw the Bavarians finally shake off their lingering Champions League bad luck, having finished as runners-up in two of the previous three seasons.

With two of LaLiga's biggest hitters meeting in Paris, the 1999-00 Champions League final represented a fairly significant watershed moment in the competition's 45-year history as it was the first time both finalists hailed from the same country. In reality, there was little compatriotic spirit on show from Real Madrid, who drubbed Valencia with unanswered goals from Fernando Morientes, Steve McManaman and Raúl to earn Vincente del Bosque's first major honor as a coach. McManaman's extraordinary scissor-kick volley is regularly cited as one of the best goals scored in a European Cup final, and was representative of the insurmountable quality that Hector Cuper's gung-ho Valencia side found themselves up against at the Stade de France.

This energetic final in Bucharest was won almost single-handedly by a virtuosic display from Atlético striker Radamel Falcao, who once again came to the fore on the big stage having also scored the winner for Porto in the previous season's final. The Colombia international got things rolling after just seven minutes with a sensational left-footed curler from the corner of the penalty area. Athletic Club were subsequently limited to intermittent pot-shots until Falcao struck again before half-time, following a clever Cruyff turn in front of goal to effectively shut the game down. A third goal from Diego late on wrapped up a commanding victory for the Rojiblancos, who hoisted the Europa League trophy aloft for the second time in three seasons.

On a rain-lashed evening in Moscow, Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea embarked on a tempestuous slugfest over 120 minutes. Both goals came in the first half of regulation time, with Cristiano Ronaldo heading United in front before Frank Lampard popped up to haul the Blues level just before the break. Chelsea then peppered United's woodwork and had a man sent off in extra time when Didier Drogba slapped Nemanja Vidic in the face during a late skirmish -- the culmination of a personal quarrel between the two players that had been simmering since before kickoff. However, it was the ensuing penalty shootout that produced the evening's enduring image. After Ronaldo's effort was saved, Blues captain John Terry slipped on the sodden turf to miss what would have been the winning kick. Terry then watched on in floods of tears as United came back to win when Edwin van der Sar repelled Nicolas Anelka's tame effort.

No club has won the UEFA Cup/Europa League more times than Sevilla (7), and sure enough the Spanish side were defending champions when they were pitted against LaLiga rivals Espanyol in the 2006-07 final. Indeed, Sevilla were riding high in the league and into the final of the Copa del Rey and as such were fostering dreams of a treble when they pitched up at Hampden Park in Glasgow. They raced ahead twice but found themselves swiftly pegged back on each occasion as Espanyol dug in through extra time and forced the game to penalties. However, the real hero of the hour was Sevilla goalkeeper Andrés Palop, who successfully thwarted meek efforts from Luis García, Jônatas and Marc Torrejón in the shootout to effectively retain the trophy for the Rojiblancos.

The 10th Europa League final to feature two clubs from the same country, the second all-English final and the first to be played by two teams from the same city, the 2018-19 final was essentially a Premier League bout between Chelsea and Arsenal which played out in a weird, half-empty vacuum of the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan -- over 2,000 miles from home.

Olivier Giroud opened the scoring for Chelsea against his former side, who had ex-Blues legend Petr Cech in goal for what proved to be the last game of the 37-year-old's stellar career. With a summer transfer to Real Madrid pending, Eden Hazard was also signing off for Chelsea and did so with a mesmeric individual display that saw the Belgian forward score twice and lay on an assist for Pedro in a full-blooded and dominant victory for Maurizio Sarri's outfit.

The Blues thus became the first team to lift a major European title without losing a single game en route; Arsenal, in their first season of the post-Arsene Wenger era, were to end the campaign empty-handed in what was Unai Emery's sole full season in charge of the club. As the winning players partied on the Chelsea bus after the game, Giroud gave a mocking "thank you, Arsenal" to his former club while brandishing the trophy.

In addition to being contested by two clubs from the same country, the 2013-14 Champions League final was the first time that two clubs from the same city had met in the final as Real and Atlético faced off in Lisbon at the end of an arduous campaign.

Atleti, recently crowned champions of LaLiga, went ahead after 36 minutes through Diego Godín and were then forced to defend like their lives depended on it for the remainder of regulation time as Real -- spurred by the innate necessity to accomplish "La Décima" by winning their 10th European Cup title -- tried everything to heave themselves back from the brink. Despite facing onslaught after onslaught, the Rojiblancos' human barricade looked to have held, and Diego Simeone's dogged side had one hand on the trophy as the final whistle loomed. However, that incredible resolve was cruelly undermined in the dying moments of injury time when a soaring header from Sergio Ramos sent the final into extra time.

BODØ, Norway -- Ange Postecoglou had barely taken his seat at his unveiling as Tottenham Hotspur manager almost two years ago when he was first asked about that painful, cursed word: "Spursy."

He made a promise that day that he would put an end to it. Now, as he is reportedly headed to the exit door no matter what he achieves from here, Postecoglou has guided Spurs to the UEFA Europa League final in a fashion that can only be described as anything but "Spursy."

Take down a wholly beatable Manchester United side, and maybe it will be much harder to label them with that tag.

You'd be forgiven for rolling your eyes -- it's an easy headline grabber, sure -- but this really was everything Spurs are not supposed to do. By winning the second leg 2-0 (5-1 on aggregate), he didn't give rivals any excuse to poke at old wounds, to make Spurs the butt of the joke.

"That [result] is going to upset a lot of people," Postecoglou said.

"There'll be debates now raging and neither of us [United and Tottenham] will be able to get a trophy. If we win, we're just going to take a team photo because we're not worthy.

"Who cares if we're struggling in the league? Why is that important? If it's so easy to get to a final, then why doesn't everyone who finishes in the top three do it? I mean, it's a separate thing. It's got nothing to do with league form.

This game had the makings of a perfect upset story. Picture the scene: Premier League giants Spurs playing away in the Arctic Circle against minnows Bodø/Glimt, who have lost just one home game in Europe all season. Harder still, they had won 27 of their last 34 when welcoming teams from the continent. Those victims include FC Porto, Celtic, and AS Roma (then coached by Jose Mourinho).

Between the artificial turf, the freezing temperatures and the tiny cauldron of an atmosphere, this is a fortress that few teams escape unscathed. Yet, Spurs handled business.

"They [the players] were well-prepared tonight and they executed it perfectly," Postecoglou said.

"It's been chronicled over the last few days that this is a difficult place to come to. I thought the lads just handled it really well as they have throughout this sort of game, particularly the knockout stages and credit to them."

Spurs set up defensively and sucked the life out of the game. They were largely unremarkable in the first half as if by design. There was no need to put on a show with a 3-1 advantage from the first leg. This was about getting in and getting out. No drama allowed. There were not many chances to speak for either side. It was clean and professional.

Then, just after the hour mark, Spurs struck twice to end the tie and book their place in the final. Striker Dominic Solanke scrambled in a Cristian Romero header in the 63rd minute, and right-back Pedro Porro then deceived goalkeeper Nikita Haikin with a cross that looped in to spark celebrations from the few hundred away fans.

It is worth noting that Thursday night's display was not in isolation. Postecoglou, who has at times been accused of willfully encouraging a chaotic, risky attacking system, has instead set out to be pragmatic. It's been a theme of their second-leg knockout games. Against AZ Alkmaar in the Round of 16, they overturned a 1-0 deficit with a 3-1 win in the return leg. Against Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarters, Spurs put together a gritty, professional performance and won 1-0.

In Bodø, the clean sheet was as impressive as the victory. According to ESPN Global Research, Bodø/Glimt have scored in every single home game in all competitions since October 2023.

Postecoglou is already on record saying he feels like Spurs have led "parallel" lives between a European run and their worst Premier League campaign since 1994, which sees them 16th in the table.

The Australian coach was quick to hit back at anyone suggesting that their league form would diminish this achievement. He said he didn't care one bit about what the league table said: If Spurs can end their 17-year trophy drought, then it is a successful season.

"What's happening right now is that people are fearing that it actually might happen because it might happen," Postecoglou said.

"Let's see how we can tear it down, somehow diminish it by saying that it's been a poor season and we don't deserve this or we don't deserve that. Or somehow comparing us to Manchester United.

"If we had United's success, maybe I'd have a different view. I could have been sitting here exactly in fifth position [in the Premier League] and I guarantee you that the commentary around me would be, well, that's a great achievement, but this club needs to win something.

"That's exactly what everyone would be saying. Of course, this [making a European final] is massive."

Postecoglou and Spurs will take confidence in the fact they have already beaten United three times this season -- twice in the league as well as a frenetic 4-3 victory in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals in December.

That brings us back to "Spursy."

It was in that Carabao Cup clash that Spurs were anything but assured. They were leading 3-0 in the 54th minute and somehow threw it away and were drawing 3-3 half an hour later. It took a remarkable "Olimpico" goal from captain Son Heung-Min to get the victory that day. Spurs found a way to win, and yet still they didn't quite earn much respect.

Postecoglou is right when he says that Spurs are an easy target for others to aim at, and it is wrong to diminish this achievement. Making a European final is no easy feat.

His mission is to demand, as it was almost two years ago, is to garner true respect. He knows that will only come by winning a trophy at the end of this. Maybe it would even help him deliver on a promise to put to bed that painful tag, just like he always said he would.