Daily Mail

A jubilant, Tottenham jersey-wearing Daniel Levy broke cover to make an impassioned speech to Spurs players, their families and coaches after the club's Europa League win on Wednesday night.

The typically reclusive club chairman took centre stage after Spurs' 1-0 win over Manchester United ended a 17-year wait for a trophy and secured qualification for next season's Champions League.

Levy, who has been the object of Spurs fans' fury for many years during a period of poor on-field results, heaped praise on head coach Ange Postecoglou, who delivered the club its first piece of silverware since the 2008 League Cup.

'We're champions,' Levy roared to an ecstatic crowd. 'Listen, this has been a very long time coming. 1984 was the last time we won a European cup and tonight we've made history.

'I want to thank Ange and all the coaching staff, all the players, you guys have gone down in history. Thank you very much.

'This is a magnificent achievement for the club that will hopefully get us on the road of where we absolutely deserve to be, which is at the very top. Thank you very much!'

As recently as last month, thousands of Tottenham fans protested Levy's running of the club, amid a woeful league campaign that could see the side finish as low as 17th in the division.

'Time for change,' read many flags, while the message on another was: 'Built a business, killed a football club.'

Another flag read: 'Enough is enough, ENIC Out!' aimed at ENIC Group, who bought a controlling stake of the club in 2001 from Alan Sugar.

A popular tune in honour of Sweden midfielder Dejan Kulusevski was altered to take aim at the 62-year-old chairman.

'We don't care about Levy, he don't care about me, all I care about is [Dejan] Kulusevski,' fans sang, referencing recent ticket-price hikes and plans to scrap some concessions.

Change For Tottenham, a fan-led group who aim to bring about change at the club, said: 'Many lifelong Tottenham supporters feel alienated by the club's ownership and direction.

'The New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a state of the art facility, but at what cost? Ticket prices are among the highest in the Premier League, forcing many fans, some of whom have supported Spurs for decades, to give up their season tickets or attend fewer games.

'For years the team has lacked investment in key areas, particularly in defence, while transfer windows have felt reactive instead of proactive.

'The result? Another trophy-less season looms, extending a drought that has lasted since 2008.'

Having ended their long drought, attention will quickly turn to the future, particularly that of their manager Postecoglou.

It remains unclear whether he will remain with the side after their poor domestic showing, however, his tactical display in the final will give some confidence of improvement next term.

Tottenham's stars and staff gathered for a group photo with their new prize after landing back in England on Thursday afternoon - though one player stood out for breaking the rules.

The triumphant party could barely contain their smiles as they flaunted their Europa League trophy once off the plane.

Thanks to Brennan Johnson's goal, Spurs scalped Manchester United 1-0 on Wednesday night to emerge from a 17-year trophy desert and they've been milking it hard so far.

As is their right, they turned up the Champions League theme music in the dressing room, partied hard until around 3am, and gave fans a first touch of the silverware before boarding their team bus in the morning.

It made sense for the club to mark the occasion with a family photo once back in the UK, but one chap decided to buck the trend of smiling for it.

Can you spot the star who pulled a fast one on the photographer and looked the other way for the picture?

Near the top right of the image, a stray Sergio Reguilon can be seen forging his own path and looking off into the distance.

Everyone else smiled and gestured for the camera but clearly the full-back, who has played six games this campaign, had other ideas.

His banterous behaviour comes on a jubilant day for the squad, who were in high spirits as they left the hotel in Bilbao this morning.

Ange Postecoglou, having delivered on his promise to win a trophy in his second season at the club, emerged smiling.

The Tottenham boss gave a thumbs up to supporters who had gathered around the hotel to cheer the team, as they boarded the team bus to head back to the airport.

In addition to winning their first European trophy since 1984, Tottenham will now compete in next season's Champions League after a disastrous Premier League campaign that sees them sit in 17th place heading into the final domestic weekend.

Club captain Son emerged wearing a club tracksuit with a South Korean flag tied around his waist - and still with a bruise on his forehead after a mishap during the trophy lift.

The long-serving star was also seen holding a coffee as he walked to the bus, perhaps offering a boost following a night of celebrations which continued beyond 3am.

Match-winner Johnson set the tone with the Welsh winger raising his arm in celebration as he departed the hotel.

The pose was replicated by James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie as they greeted supporters.

Lucky fans were also given the opportunity to touch the Europa League trophy, which was brought out by a member of Tottenham staff.

The trophy was then packed into a suitcase, with Tottenham's additional baggage placed onto the team bus to head back to north London.

Tottenham have confirmed an open top bus parade will take place on Friday following their triumph.

The parade is expected to depart Edmonton Green at approximately 5.30pm.

The club stated that it expects the parade to last between 60 to 90 minutes and will finish at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium’s service yard adjacent to Sainsbury’s on Northumberland Park.

Tottenham said a stage will be erected above the High Road outside the stadium on Paxton Terrace to receive the players and coaching staff for a presentation of the trophy to fans shortly after the conclusion of the bus parade.

The club added that a DJ, live music and Legend Q&As have been planned from 3pm.

The event is set to be live streamed on the club's website, app and YouTube channel.

Tottenham will then have to turn their attentions to their final Premier League match of the season against Brighton.

Postecoglou's side remarkably will head into the final day in 17th place in the table but with Champions League qualification sealed for next season after their Europa League triumph.

Tottenham could climb to 14th with a final day victory, provided results go in their favour.

The match will also give stars will get another chance to toast their Europa League success.

Celebrations had gone into the night following the final, with midfielder Yves Bissouma offering a glimpse into the dressing room.

His clips showed the Spurs stars in the changing rooms as they blared out music from speakers, tucked into pizza and popped champagne.

Meanwhile, Spurs' official account shared a video which showed the festivities as Son re-enacted the trophy lift inside the changing room.

The South Korean was sprayed with champagne by his team-mates as they reveled in the occasion.

Spurs captain Son was later seen outside the team's hotel in Bilbao rallying the travelling fans who had followed them back to offer their support.

The forward, with his winners medal draped over his shoulders, cupped his ears to the supporters and waved them on as they cheered the team's return.

While videos from Spurs' official accounts ended there, a number of the players showed off the late night celebrations via their own personal accounts.

On Udogie's story, posted around 2am, Spurs' stars could be seen inside a hall - likely at their hotel - as their partied the night away in their full-kit.

Kevin Danso and Timo Werner could be seen particularly enjoying the festivities as the squad, along with their family and friends, rejoiced in the moment.

In another video that emerged on social media at 3am, a large number of the Spurs players - including James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Brennan Johnson - were all still enjoying the night. The caption read: 'Party still going'.

On Thursday morning, Spurs' official account began the day by sharing another video from the celebrations the night prior - showing gold confetti being let off in the changing room.

Full-back Djed Spence could be seen carrying the trophy before striking a pose alongside it - while Bissouma and Wilson Odobert danced amongst the confetti.

Spurs' stars also filmed a hilarious video that made reference to the fact they will play in the Champions League next season, after clinching the Europa League title.

A number of Spurs stars lined up - similarly to a pre-match set-up - as the Champions League music played in the background.

Tottenham Hotspur won a football match and lost an identity in the cathedral of San Mames when they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final and lifted their first trophy for 17 years.

Flaky Spurs, fragile Spurs, the team that always finds a way to lose, the team that always cracks under pressure, the team that has lent its name to the adjective 'Spursy', so beloved of rival fans, all that is gone now.

'Dr Tottenham will see you now,' other fans laughed. Spurs had that reputation. They could be relied upon to fix your problems by losing to you. Not any more. Not here in northern Spain. This may have been an awful game but Tottenham won it and that was all that mattered.

And so they are a joke no more. And no one can call Ange Postecoglou, their manager, a clown, the label he had raged against the previous evening. Postecoglou, who took charge of his 100th Spurs game here, may lose his job at the end of the season but he has had the last laugh. He won a trophy in his second season, just as he told us he always did.

And so after a season in which they finished 17th in the Premier League and lost 21 games – so far – Spurs will be in the Champions League next season with Europe's elite and the £100m windfall that could bring. They did not look like a team that will fare well in that company but, once more, their fans will not care too much about that. They are losers no more.

For United, there was no consolation. They were abject. Utterly abject. Their performance had no redeeming features. They were an embarrassment to themselves and to their fans, to Sir Alex Ferguson, who was watching in the stands, to their glorious history and to English football.

Heaven knows what fate awaits them now at the hands of Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The players' canteen may well have gruel on the menu next season. This final was their escape hatch, their one shot at climbing out of the mess they have made for themselves but now that has gone.

This defeat will hamper their opportunities to make the signings their manager Ruben Amorim desperately needs to refresh this shambles of a team assembled before he arrived. It is a Frankenstein's Monster of a side.

The struggle to revive United just got a lot harder. This defeat means they will fall further behind teams like Liverpool and Manchester City, who are not subject to the miserable dysfunction that afflicts the Old Trafford regime. This was a zombie final and now United will wander among the undead.

Tottenham had not won a trophy since 2008. Since then, a baker's dozen of English clubs have won a major honour while Spurs have had their nose pressed to the glass, watching others celebrate.

All the other five members of the so-called Big Six have lifted silverware and so have Leicester City, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Wigan Athletic, Birmingham City, Swansea City and Portsmouth.

It got to the point some time ago where losing seemed to become part of their DNA. Micky van de Ven said recently that when he joined from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023, people told him he would be trophyless for the rest of his career. 'We're going to come here and change something,' he said this week.

Spurs fans had taken solace in the fact that they had beaten United three times this season but they also knew that this time they were missing three of their most creative players – Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall – from their starting line-up because of injury.

Postecoglou sprang a surprise by leaving Son Heung-min, Spurs' talisman, on the bench and starting with Richarlison instead and it was his team that made the brighter start. Brennan Johnson's cross-shot was beaten out by Andre Onana and, a couple of minutes later, Richarlison pounced on a mix-up between Casemiro and Mason Mount but saw his shot blocked in the six-yard box.

Both sides looked wracked with nerves. Amad Diallo drilled a shot across Guglielmo Vicario and inches wide of the far post but after the opening exchanges, the game sagged. It became a shapeless mess, devoid of creativity and technical assurance, dominated by play-acting and incompetence.

Sometimes it seemed that Bruno Fernandes and Diallo spent more time writhing around on the floor than they did on their feet. It was a thoroughly unappealing spectacle and a horrible advert for the English game. Given the domestic record of these two clubs, perhaps it was unreasonable to expect anything else.

Then, four minutes before the interval, there was a breakthrough. Spurs finally managed to put a cogent move together and Pape Sarr found enough space on the left to curl in a cross with pace and purpose to the near post.

Johnson got in front of Shaw and got a touch on the ball before it hit the England defender and wrong-footed Onana, looping apologetically towards the net as Johnson administered the coup de grace and poked it over the line. It was an ugly goal befitting of the game but the Tottenham fans massed in the end where it was scored could not have cared less.

The start of the second half showed the teams in an even more parlous condition than the first half. It was prehistoric, aimless stuff, balls hoofed into the air, passes misplaced , one foul after another. I have seen better quality matches in League Two this season than this shambles.

It was easy, actually, to feel sorry for some of the United players, in particular. Poor Rasmus Hojlund looks more and more out of his depth, more and more isolated, more and more hapless, with every game that passes. He barely touched the ball. United overpaid hugely for him, of course, so it may be difficult to offload him.

Spurs had a chance to extend their lead midway through the second half but they were not good enough to take it. Yves Bissouma broke down the inside left channel and tried to find Dominic Solanke, who was in space in the middle. But Bissouma overhit the pass and Solanke did not anticipate the ball and it ran away from him and the chance was gone. On the touchline, Postecoglou put his head in his hands.

Richarlison sustained an injury soon after that and was replaced by Son but soon after he had come on, Spurs nearly handed United a way back into the game. Vicario made a complete hash of catching a free kick and when it bounced off his head, it reached Hojlund. Hojlund's header was strong and was sailing towards the net when Van de Ven made a magnificently acrobatic goal-line clearance.

It was Hojlund's final contribution. He was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee and Zirkzee made an immediate impact. He laid a neat ball into the path of Noussair Mazraoui whose cross found Fernandes unmarked eight yards out. Fernandes should have scored but he directed his diving header well wide.

United, finally, started to show signs of attacking life. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho forced a fine one-handed save out of Vicario and Harry Maguire was pushed up front. Maguire up front has worked before for United but it is a familiar sign of desperation.

This time, it did not work. This time, there was no miracle as there had been against Lyon in the quarter-finals. This time there was no reprieve. This was the most important game in their history in financial termas and they blew it.

'Lads, it's Tottenham,' United were famous for saying, implying a sense of wonder that they could be losing to the team from north London. That insult, like so many others, has been wiped away.

Tottenham fans have blasted the club ahead of the Europa League final for a 'horrible' setup ahead of a Europa League final screening at their stadium.

Footage posted to X, formerly Twitter, showed 10 screens erected around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the game.

Fans were able to purchase tickets at a cost of £10 for adults and £5 for anyone under the age of 18.

However, some supporters did not seem all that impressed by the club's efforts to facilitate those fans who were unable to make the trip to Bilbao.

Commenting on the number of screens, one user joked: 'Levy got a bulk deal at Argos'.

A second added: 'That looks horrible'.

A further comment read: 'That looks pathetic'.

Another fumed: 'That’s a joke'.

It came with both sides set to battle it out in Bilbao for a spot in next season's Champions League which can only be claimed by the winner.

As both sides will finish outside of the European places in the Premier League - with Man United in 16th and Spurs in 17th - the final at San Mames has an added element of importance for two sides who would otherwise expect to be in Europe.

However, disappointing domestic campaigns for Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim mean the two finalists will finish the 2024-25 season in their lowest-ever Premier League positions.

United have also been dealt a further setback as they must wear a slightly-altered kit for the showpiece event in the Basque Country.

This is because Tottenham's home kit takes precedence as they were drawn as the 'home' team for the contest.

While the Lilywhites have worn white shirts with navy shorts and white socks while in action in the Premier League this season, that differs in European competition.

Owing to a tradition that dates back to 1961, Spurs wear all-white in Europe.

This means United must black shorts and black socks in the final to go with their famous red shirts.

Man United and Tottenham go head-to-head in the Europa League final tonight

It will be the sixth all-English European final and the first in four years

LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Should Oliver Glasner leave Palace for Spurs?

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will go head-to-head in Bilbao for the Europa League trophy in the sixth all-English European final tonight.

Both sides have endured miserable campaigns, languishing 17th and 16th respectively in the Premier League with 39 defeats combined.

The second-tier European competition offers some salvation for Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou, who will both be eager to end the tough season on a high by winning the final at the San Mames stadium, home to Athletic Club.

The Red Devils come into the final undefeated in Europe this season, with their club's historic success arguably lending them an advantage.

For Spurs, it's a chance to end 17 years of trophy drought since their 2007-08 EFL League Cup win and 41 years since their last European triumph.

The winner of the Europa League will cement their place in the 2025-26 Champions League, offering tremendous prize money and revenue which both Daniel Levy and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be eager to secure.

Here, Mail Sport relives the all-English European finals of the past, revisiting the dramatic clashes and iconic moments that shaped these historic encounters.

Wolves 2-3 Tottenham (across two legs) - 1971-72 UEFA Cup Final

Tottenham won the first-ever all-English European final after defeating Wolves 3-2 across two legs in the Europa League predecessor.

The UEFA Cup operated with a two-legged final until 1997, a bizarre way of deciding the winner with both sides playing home and away at their respective home stadiums.

The Lilywhites took a narrow lead into the second leg after a 2-1 win at Molineux before a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane secured the trophy for the north London side.

Spurs would go on to secure their second UEFA Cup trophy 12 years later in the 1983-84 final, beating Belgian side Anderlecht on penalties.

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 on pens) - 2007-08 UEFA Champions League Final

A night to forget for Chelsea fans as Manchester United dispatched their major club rivals on penalties in the Champions League final 17 years ago today.

Cristiano Ronaldo's header put United in the lead before Frank Lampard tucked away a loose ball in the Red Devil's 18-yard box.

Ivory Coast's top goal scorer Didier Drogba was sent off in extra-time following an altercation with Serbian anchor Nemanja Vidic.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Avram Grant then had to endure the gruelling decider of penalties, which saw an opportunity of victory for Chelsea when Ronaldo missed his penalty.

Captain John Terry stepped up to score the winning penalty, only to slip and the hit the post in one of the most infamous moments in Champions League history.

Sudden death penalties were required as Nicolas Anelka saw his effort saved by Edwin van der Sar to give Manchester United the trophy.

Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal - 2018-19 UEFA Europa League Final

Eleven years later, Chelsea prevailed against another English rival in the Europa League in an intense end-to-end tie in Baku.

In a hotly-contested match, former Gunner Olivier Giroud opened the scoring early in the second half before Pedro and an Eden Hazard spot-kick put the Blues 3-0 up on the night.

Alex Iwobi's sensational strike gave Arsenal some late hope before Hazard grabbed as second goal to extinguish any Arsenal fightback.

Italian Maurizio Sarri won his first major trophy as a manager, defeating the now Aston Villa coach Unai Emery who had previously won three Europa League titles in a row with Sevilla.

Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Liverpool - 2018-19 UEFA Champions League Final

Magical and dramatic comebacks in the semi-finals set up a crucial final between Liverpool and Tottenham.

Liverpool's 4-0 turnaround after losing 3-0 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp gave Jurgen Klopp's side some much needed momentum heading into the final.

Spurs had also done the unthinkable, with super-sub Lucas Moura's second half hat-trick against Ajax in Amsterdam sending them wild as they were on the verge of ending their trophy drought.

Yet, it was not to be for Tottenham after Moussa Sissoko's dubious handball in the opening minute awarded Liverpool a penalty, converted by Mohamed Salah.

Spurs struggled to shrug off the shock of going a goal down so early in the match as they dominated the ball with little end product.

Divock Origi's 87th minute goal secured the trophy for the Reds, Klopp's first club honour as Liverpool manager.

Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea - 2020-21 UEFA Champions League Final

Current England boss Thomas Tuchel masterfully led Chelsea to more European glory, defeating Manchester City in a cagey affair.

The Cityzens and the Blues played in front of a reduced capacity at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto due to the COVID-19 pandemic, setting a peculiar atmosphere in the ground.

The pivotal moment arrived just before the half-time whistle as Mason Mount played in Kai Havertz to put him one-on-one with Ederson.

Although the Brazilian touched the ball, the German gathered the ball to stroke it home into an empty net.

Pep Guardiola's side controlled possession for most of the game but did little to cause the Chelsea backline any problems as the Blues lifted Europe's most illustrious trophy.

Tottenham and Man United meet in the Europa League final on Wednesday night

Around 80,000 fans have reportedly flown out to Spain ahead of the match

Europa League final LIVE: Follow Mail Sport's blog for the big match here

Spanish media has hit out at Manchester United and Tottenham fans for being 'difficult to control' ahead of the Europa League final, amid reports of clashes between supporters in Bilbao.

Around 80,000 supporters have reportedly flown out to Spain for the game, despite the San Mames having a capacity of 52,114.

Both sets of clubs were allocated 15,000 tickets for the final, with thousands of ticketless fans still opting to descend on the city.

Spanish news agency EFE reported on Tuesday that 'some fans are already losing control' in the streets in the centre of Bilbao.

The fans were claimed to have become 'difficult to control', despite the deployment of 2,000 police officers on the eve of the match.

Supporters were claimed to have 'taken over urban furniture' in the city, having been pictured climbing on to traffic lights.

The Bilbao-based newspaper El Correo reported that Tottenham fans had 'destroyed two traffic lights' and had 'raised them like a trophy'.

Tottenham supporters had congregated in Pozas, located close to the stadium, while Man United fans were based in Plaza Nueva.

Several Manchester United fans were reported to have punched another supporter in Plaza Nueva, leading to eight police officers being required to intervene.

Tottenham supporters were claimed to have showered rivals with beer in another incident, while one fan was pictured vomiting in the street.

A fan zone was reported to be calm in El Arenal, with a large police presence said to have been present.

The Basque Government had earlier activated a 'protection plan', which has involved 'monitoring of the situation and responding to scenarios where potential emergencies are anticipated'.

Footage on Tuesday night, showed supporters clashing in San Sebastian, 48 miles away from Bilbao.

Information and video shared by Spanish publication El Diario Vasco claimed the situation escalated at around 9.20pm local time.

According to witness accounts, the incident started with shouts and insults, before one punch caused one fan to fall to the ground.

A number of fans then appeared to begin throwing objects, with tables also overturned before police arrived, with officers remaining in the area.

An ambulance was also reportedly dispatched to treat anyone necessary, but, after a few minor treatments, it was reportedly not deemed necessary to take anyone to hospital.

A police spokesman, however, confirmed on Wednesday morning that no arrests have been made in either Bilbao or San Sebastian.

'In relation to the incidents arising out of the celebration of the Europa League final we have no information on any serious occurrences,' the spokesperson said.

'No one has been seriously injured and there have been no arrests so far.

'It's true there was a fight in San Sebastian's Old Town which started for reasons that are still being investigated and which involved the throwing of missiles by two rival groups.

'But that incident didn't lead to any arrests.'

Both Man United and Tottenham fans have travelled to Bilbao hoping their teams can rescue dismal seasons by securing European glory.

The two clubs head into the final amid disastrous Premier League campaigns, which see them lie 16th and 17th in the table.

Tottenham would end a 17-year trophy drought with victory.

Victory for either Ruben Amorim or Ange Postecoglou's sides will come with the added incentive of qualification for next season's Champions League, making the match reportedly worth around £100m.

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Tottenham and Manchester United meet in the 2024-25 Europa League final in the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.

Tottenham Hotspur's battle against Manchester United is one of the strangest Europa League finals ever with both side desperate for a trophy to end their miserable campaigns.

Manchester United and Spurs sit 16th and 17th respectively in the Premier League table, picking up a combined 39 defeats in the league.

Yet both teams may be able to spare their blushes by winning the Europa League, guaranteeing qualification for the Champions League as the sixth English side for 2025-26.

Tottenham won their last trophy, the League Cup, 17 years ago, with their last European trophy coming 41 years ago, setting up a historic final for the Lilywhites.

For United, returning to the Champions League is a non-negotiable for a club of their stature.

The Red Devils are facing issues with defensive personnel as Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez missing out on the all-important final.

Conversely, the Lilywhites have suffered injuries to key midfielders, damaging their chances of European glory.

James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall will miss the rest of the season whilst Dejan Kulusevski has also been ruled out of the final.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said: 'I would choose every single player of Tottenham's over Manchester United's next Wednesday.

'When you look at those players like for like with United, only Bruno [Fernandes] would get into the first XI of Spurs. I have got a sickly feeling about this game next Wednesday.'

But does Neville's team correlate with Mail Sport's combined XI for this season-defining Europa League final?

Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario

It's fair to say that both Vicario and United's Andre Onana have been poor this season.

The Italian has conceded 33 goals in 23 starts in the Premier League for the Lilywhites equalling the same amount as Arsenal have conceded across the whole campaign!

Yet, Vicario is a bit more reliable than Onana who has made a comedy of errors in between the sticks this season, linking him with a move away from Old Trafford this summer.

Right back: Pedro Porro

The 25-year-old is the clear choice at right back in the team, given his outstanding attacking threat highlighted by his 13 goal involvements in all competitions.

Manchester United are susceptible to conceding goals from crosses and corners, so Spurs will need Porro's expert deliveries to trouble the opponent's shaky backline.

After a promising start to his United career, Noussair Mazraoui is nowhere near Porro's attacking quality which could be pivotal to exploiting the Red Devils' frailties.

Centre back: Cristian Romero

Despite facing criticism over his body language on and off the pitch, the Argentinian has put in some solid performances in the Europa League.

The 27-year-old World Cup and Copa America winner knows what it is like to taste success and will be eager to clinch the European title.

Linked with a possible move away to Atletico Madrid, Romero will be keen to deliver for his club of four years.

Although he's faced criticism, an honourable mention must go to Harry Maguire who has been one of United's best players in a shocking season.

Centre back: Micky van de Ven

The Dutchman will partner Romero at the back, forming an athletic and pacey central-defensive duo.

Since his arrival to Spurs in 2023-24, the former Wolfsburg man has been one of Postecoglou's best players when fit.

Capable of astonishing recovery runs and outstanding leadership, Van de Ven will be called upon to prevent Manchester United progressing into Spurs' 18-yard box, despite Tottenham's high line.

Left back: Destiny Udogie

Whilst his second season in north London has seen a decline in overall performances, the 22-year-old is the left back of choice for the side.

The Italian is a physical monster who is strong, quick and durable to keep going for the full 90 minutes.

His opposite number, 20-year-old Patrick Dorgu, has the makings of a superb left back, but his naivety and rashness lets him down, leading to problems for United down their left side.

Central midfielder: Manuel Ugarte

The Uruguayan is the first Red Devil to make the team after gradually improving following a shaky start to life in Manchester.

The former PSG and Sporting midfielder averages 3.6 tackles per 90 in all competitions this season, stopping threatening attacks.

Readers may be quick to point out the absence of Yves Bissouma who has been delivering some superb performances for Tottenham of late.

However, the Malian has been extremely inconsistent this season, often causing errors that lead to goals which has cost Spurs across the campaign.

Central midfielder: Rodrigo Bentancur

One of Tottenham's more consistent midfielders this season, the Uruguayan will sit next to his compatriot Ugarte in the midfield.

The ex-Juventus man has been tasked with covering every blade of grass in Postecoglou's high pressing system, as shown by his 2.1 interceptions per 90 in all competitions.

The absence of Bergvall means Bentancur will need to step up in order to control the middle of the park.

Central midfielder: Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United's talisman and captain, the Portuguese has been the one shining light in a grim season for the Red Devils.

Nineteen goals and 17 assists in all competitions, Fernandes will be at the heart of United's attacking play.

His leadership and work rate sets him above the rest and Amorim will be relying on his captain to carry Manchester United to European glory.

Right wing: Amad Diallo

Having been unfortunate with injuries this campaign, the Ivorian has enjoyed a sensational breakout season being one of the few dependable players.

Diallo has 10 goals and eight assists in all competitions this season with his pace and agility terrorising the opposition.

Left wing: Heung-min Son

Not a huge fan of this selection, but the South Korean gets the nod over the patchy Alejandro Garnacho on the left flank.

Son has registered 22 goal involvements this season, seeing a drop off in form as he leaves his prime years.

Although he is not the player of yesteryear, Spurs' No 7 wants to lift a trophy and give the fans something to celebrate and his voice will be key on and off the pitch.

The 32-year-old touched on his desire to deliver silverware at Tottenham, he said: 'The biggest reason I stayed at Tottenham was to do something others couldn't achieve.

'It feels different this time. I really want to win, more than anyone else.

'So many people are supporting us with the same desperate passion I feel. If we prepare well, I believe we can achieve it.'

Striker: Dominic Solanke

Off the back of a 21 goal 2023-24 season with Bournemouth, Solanke hasn't been able to match last season's heights in North London.

It has been a transitionary season for the former Liverpool man, but 15 goals and 8 assists in all competitions is promising for his long-term future.

Conversely, Manchester United have struggled in the No 9 position, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to impress.

Tottenham have forced Manchester United into a major kit change

The two English sides will play in Bilbao for a spot in the Champions League

LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Should Oliver Glasner leave Palace for Spurs?

Tottenham have forced Manchester United into a major kit change ahead of the Europa League final because of a tradition that dates back 64 years.

The two English sides will battle it out in Bilbao for a spot in next season's Champions League which can only be claimed by the winner.

As both sides will finish outside of the European places in the Premier League - with Man United in 16th and Spurs in 17th - the final at San Mames has an added element of importance for two sides who would otherwise expect to be in Europe.

However, disappointing domestic campaigns for Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim mean the two finalists will finish the 2024-25 season in their lowest-ever Premier League positions.

United have also been dealt a further setback as they must wear a slightly-altered kit for the showpiece event in the Basque Country.

This is because Tottenham's home kit takes precedence as they were drawn as the 'home' team for the contest.

While the Lilywhites have worn white shirts with navy shorts and white socks while in action in the Premier League this season, that differs in European competition.

Owing to a tradition that dates back to 1961, Spurs wear all-white in Europe.

This means United must black shorts and black socks in the final to go with their famous red shirts.

They previously wore the combination during their away trip to Real Sociedad back in March, which ended as a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile, Andre Onana will wear green in goal for the Red Devils while Guglielmo Vicario sports a yellow jersey.

The tradition of Spurs wearing all-white was introduced by their then-manager Bill Nicholson after they reached Europe for the first time that year.

Having won the league and cup double the previous season, Nicholson reasoned that the kit would be easier to distinguish on poorly-lit pitches.

Since then, the north London side have won two UEFA Cups and a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup - and they will hope to add the Europa League to their cabinet on Wednesday night as they chase a first trophy since 2008.

Manchester United and Tottenham fans have clashed in San Sebastian - 48 miles away from Bilbao - ahead of their Europa League final match on Wednesday night.

An expected total of 80,000 English supporters of both teams have flown out to Spain for the game, which will define the seasons of the two struggling sides, who sit 16th and 17th in the Premier League respectively.

Whoever wins the game will secure a trophy and qualification for next year's Champions League, while the losers will be left ruing a disastrous season.

It's also an important game for the fans, who are eager to see their sides lift silverware. For Tottenham, it would be their first in 17 years, while United are keen to win their first trophy under Ruben Amorim.

Things turned ugly before the game, though, with violence breaking out on Tuesday night. Spurs and United fans clashed in San Sebastian - just over an hour's drive from Bilbao before police arrived.

Information and video shared by Spanish publication El Diario Vasco claimed the situation escalated at around 9.20pm local time. According to witness accounts, the incident started with shouts and insults, before one punch caused one fan to fall to the ground.

A number of fans then appeared to begin throwing objects, with tables also overturned before police arrived, with officers remaining in the area.

Things eventually calmed down once there was a police presence, with no arrests made and no injuries caused.

An ambulance was also reportedly dispatched to treat anyone necessary, but, after a few minor treatments, it was reportedly not deemed necessary to take anyone to hospital.

Manchester United and Tottenham have been allocated 15,000 tickets each for the final inside the San Mames Stadium, which holds around 53,000 fans.

Thousands more, however, had been expected to buy tickets in other parts of the stadium, with others flying out to the city without tickets to their names.