Daily Mail

On the ground floor of the Guggenheim Museum, a mile or so from the stadium where the Europa League final takes place on Wednesday night, they are showing a contemporary film and video exhibition, a collaboration between Basque and Italian artists.

Crowds of visitors enter the exhibition room in darkness, strangers bump into each other while they wait for the video to start, people walk into walls as they grope through the gloom and start to wonder how they will ever get out.

When the films begin, they have a nightmarish quality. A man in sunglasses, his image blurred and grainy, feints to his right again and again. On another screen, a man groans and then hums a dissonant tune that grows quick and angry. Finally, a man's voice. 'You're not ready to see this yet,' it says.

Someone at the Guggenheim knew Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were coming to town, clearly. They knew that Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou, managers tortured by the mediocrity of their teams, would be bringing their suffering with them, too.

Maybe they knew that by Tuesday evening Postecoglou would be in a press conference, raging at the suggestion he would be dismissed as a clown if Spurs lose. Maybe they knew that Amorim, who has a predilection for self-flagellation, would be answering more questions about the staff redundancies and petty cutbacks at Old Trafford that have contributed to the grim narrative of United's season.

On one level, what is approaching here in this beautiful city in the Basque Country is a final with absurdly high stakes that promises either redemption or ruin for English football's lost souls. And on another, it is a collision of the damned.

United and Spurs have been so poor this season - they lie 16th and 17th in the Premier League - that it is difficult to know whether to be proud two English teams have reached a major European final, or to be embarrassed.

Statistically, in terms of their collective current positions in one of Europe's top five leagues, they are the worst two teams ever to appear in a European final. With a nod to the host nation, some are calling this clash El Crapico, although it would have taken a brave journalist to mention that to Postecoglou. Nobody did.

So is this heaven or is this hell? What does it say about the imbalance in European football that has been created by the financial might of the English top flight that two sides as thoroughly and deeply mediocre as United and Spurs can get to this final?

The Spurs and United fans who have made all manner of wonderful odysseys to get here, ferries from Plymouth to Santander or Portsmouth to Bilbao, planes to Biarritz or Bordeaux or Toulouse or Madrid or Barcelona or Porto, and trains and hire cars through the Pyrenees to complete the journeys will care little about that question.

What both sets of supporters do know is that by the end of the game in this magnificent stadium on the banks of the Nervion River, one of their teams will be looking forward to playing in the Champions League next season and the other will be drowning in ridicule and despair.

So they are enjoying it while they can. When the Spurs team bus arrived in Bilbao Tuesday lunchtime, it was followed around the Plaza del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus by chanting fans. Those chants even infiltrated the Guggenheim.

United fans were here in force on Monday evening, too, singing and carousing in the older section of the city that rises up from the banks of the river towards the steep hillsides that gaze down on Bilbao. They have tasted glory more recently than Spurs but their team's fall from grace has been even more startling.

The pressure is intense for both managers. So much is riding on the final that it is hard to know if either will survive defeat by the other. Part of the equation is money. The carrot of Champions League qualification means victory is worth more than £100million to the winner.

Victory means a higher calibre of signings in the summer. Victory means a chance to end the agony. Victory means the glimpse of an upward trajectory.

Defeat does not bear thinking about. It means a season without European competition. It means vastly reduced revenue. It means penalty payments to disappointed sponsors. It means losing more and more ground to the Premier League's top sides and moving further and further away from the European elite.

For Spurs, in particular, victory means a chance to change the mocking narrative that yaps at them. You know the stuff I mean: the joke about 'Doctor Tottenham will see you now' that aims at the club's ability to cure the ills of others by losing to them, the invention of the adjective 'Spursy' that describes the ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

They have not won a trophy since they lifted the League Cup in 2008. They have not won a European trophy since they beat Anderlecht to win the UEFA Cup in 1984. 'This game represents the chance to change the history of our club and the mentality,' the Spurs captain Son Heung-min said when Tottenham began their training session at the San Mames.

All that is on the line on Wednesday evening, so maybe it was not a surprise that Postecoglou reacted so angrily when he turned up for his press conference yesterday and was asked about flirting with infamy by a reporter, who had speculated recently in his newspaper that some might brand him a clown if Spurs lost.

'That depends on your outlook,' Postecoglou spat back, 'but I'll tell you one thing, irrespective of tomorrow, I'm not a clown and never will be. You really disappointed me that you used such terminology to describe a person that for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to a position where he is leading out a club in a European final.

'For you to suggest that somehow us not being successful means that I'm a clown, I'm not sure how to answer that question.'

When Amorim took his seat at the same dais a couple of hours later, he cut an altogether more relaxed figure as he sat between Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire. Fernandes even felt able to make a joke at Amorim's expense when the manager was asked why it was that he was not under as much pressure as Postecoglou. 'He is,' Fernandes said with a mischievous smile. Amorim laughed. 'He wants my job,' the United boss said.

Amorim has sought to play down the wider importance of the result. The club have said, for instance, that they will not have an open-top bus parade if they win tonight. A barbecue has been suggested instead.

'There are a lot of problems we need to solve in this club and they will not be solved by winning a cup,' Amorim said.

Spurs have the advantage of having beaten United three times already this season, home and away in the Premier League and also in the Carabao Cup. But they also have to cope with the issue that three of their best players - James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski - are out through injury.

Maybe their absences accounted for Postecoglou's dark mood. His biting sarcasm was never far from the surface and it re-emerged when he was asked a question about his future.

'I will keep on winning trophies until I finish, wherever that is,' he said. 'Don't worry about my future, mate. Don't stress, mate. Sleep easy.'

The truth is few will rest easy ahead of this game. It is too big. It is all or nothing. As Amorim and Postecoglou and their players headed back to their hotels, the blurred images of haunted men still twitched and flitted across the screens at the Guggenheim. And those voices still hummed angrily in the darkness.

Both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski will sit out Wednesday night's final

There is another area of the team that Postecoglou, however, can rely on

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If Ange Postecoglou is to deliver Tottenham's first trophy for 17 years on Wednesday, he must beat Manchester United without two of his most creative players.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski would have been at the heart of Postecoglou's plan to take Spurs to Europa League glory in Bilbao but both have knee injuries.

The attacking midfield duo have delivered many of the best bits in a dire season; Maddison with his swagger and eye for a killer pass, Kulusevski with his relentless running and drive.

They are two of only three Spurs players to reach double figures for both goals and assists in all competitions this season, with 44 between them. The other is Son Heung-min and even he is a doubt for the game having just returned from a foot injury.

Maddison and Kulusevski played key roles in each of Spurs' three wins over United this season. Kulusevski scored in the 3-0 league win at Old Trafford and added another in the 4-3 Carabao Cup quarter-final thriller, and Maddison bagged the only goal at home in February, dictating that game with his smart movement that dragged United's players out of position.

Spurs have played five games in the league and Europe this season without both Kulusevski and Maddison in the starting line-up. In the only two they won, Kulusevski came on at half-time.

So, how does Postecoglou win in Bilbao without them? This is where Spurs' underlapping full backs — Pedro Porro and Djed Spence or Destiny Udogie — will be crucial in exploiting Ruben Amorim's three-man defence, as they were in February's 1-0 win.

In that game, only centre back Ben Davies touched the ball more than full backs Porro and Spence, with most of the pair's touches deep in the United half.

On the right, Porro already shoulders much of Spurs' creative burden — only Kulusevski has created more chances for Spurs this season and the Spaniard has played nearly 100 more passes into the penalty area in the league than any of his team-mates.

On the left, Udogie or Spence will make darting runs into the channels while the wingers stay high and wide to stretch United's back five and pin them back.

If Brennan Johnson on one side and Son, Wilson Odobert or Mathys Tel on the other can pull United's wing backs wide, they will open up space for Porro and probably Udogie to isolate centre backs Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire, hardly the quickest defenders in a foot race.

They did this in Spurs' win in February. Early in the second half, Son stayed wide and drew his man, then played in Spence who was charging into the space behind. He left Noussair Mazraoui for dead before driving into the box to set up a chance.

This season, Tottenham average more goals, shots and expected goals (xG) per game against teams who play a back three than against four-man defences. They do, however, concede more of them as well.

That is where the absence of Maddison and Kulusevski, and a focus instead on attacking in wide areas, may help Spurs become more solid in midfield.

Without the attacking pair, Postecoglou is expected to start with a trio of Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr. Bentancur has made more interceptions per game than any other midfielder who has played at least 900 league minutes this term, and Sarr — who will also make smart late runs into the box — and Bissouma are excellent at winning the ball back.

Against a United midfield that is likely to have Casemiro's ageing legs in it, that trio will look to outnumber and dominate United physically. They will also give extra attention to Bruno Fernandes, the United player most capable of turning this final on its head.

Maddison and Kulusevski would have made a difference in Bilbao but Postecoglou still has enough weapons at his disposal. Spurs have beaten United on three occasions this season — now they just need to do it one more time.

Manchester United and Tottenham's Europa League final is worth as much as a minor nation's economy.

Next week the slumbering giants will meet in Bilbao for the chance to add a varnish of glory to their utterly dispiriting seasons.

There's no escaping it: they've both had torrid domestic campaigns. So bad, in fact, with United 16th and Spurs 17th, that this is the worst Europa League or UEFA Cup final in history based on league position.

The pressure on Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou is enormous - more so the latter, perhaps, after his bold statement back in September. 'I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year,' he said. Now follow that up.

But this isn't just about pride, heritage, sparing blushes. In the modern game, it's also about stone cold cash. Or money transferred into the club's digital coffers, rather.

Winning the Europa League final is likely worth around £100million, potentially up to £152m, and at minimum around £50m. With that sort of wonga, Sir Jim Ratcliffe might even consider paying for the flights home. But how is it worth a nine-figure sum?

The prize money for winning the final is relatively modest, but it's a good start: £10.95m.

United have already accrued around £9.3m from their progression and individual wins along the way, so adding almost £11m to that makes it the sort of money which can pay for a signing in the summer.

Losing in the final of the Europa League sees quite a plummet down to £5.9m in the final.

Where the real financial value of winning comes from is by the golden egg every club wishes they could guarantee: qualification for the Champions League.

'A good season in the Champions League can be worth far in excess of £100m,' football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently told BBC Sport.

'By the time you combine gate receipts, sponsor bonuses and the prize money available, the numbers involved are eye-watering.'

And that's really why the Europa League is worth so much - it's a gateway to the Champions League.

Every club that qualifies for the league phase earns an automatic windfall of £15.7m in prize money - even if they lose every match and finish dead last.

But a win in the league phase is worth £1.8m, and a draw is worth £600,000. So, if you manage to win every group game, you'd earn yourself a pretty £14.m - almost as much as the total Europa League final prize money for this season.

Not only that, but every position in the league phase is worth £230,000. The team who finished bottom this season, Young Boys, will have earned £230,000. The club above them Slovan Bratislava, £460,000.

This pattern continues up to the club who finished first in the league phase, Liverpool, who were handed £8.3m for that achievement.

Moreover, you're given a bonus of £1.7m for finishing in the top eight of the league phase, and around £0.85 for finishing ninth to 16th.

We're not done there - you're also handed a qualification bonus of £9.3m for reaching the last 16.

So, what are we up to so far? If you win the Europa League final, then win every group game and finish top in the league phase, you'll have banked £44.3m based on this year's finances - and that's before we even get to the big money!

From there, the rewards rise stratospherically. Reaching the quarter-finals is worth an extra £10.5m, the semis are worth £12.6m, and making the final gives another boost of £16.6m.

If you go on and win the final, you bank an extra £5.5m compared to the runners-up.

Phew. Take a breath. So, if United or Spurs win the Europa League final, then embark on a magical journey to winning the Champions League final, then based on this year's figures, that would provide a windfall of... £89.5m.

And that's before we've even touched matchday income or sponsorship deals. See how this adds up?

Speaking to BBC Sport, football finance expert Maguire estimated that it would be feasible for Man United to bank £6m in matchday revenue per Champions league home match.

That's because this season, their average across competitions has been £5.2m per match, and they're bringing in a five per cent ticket price rise, plus it's the Champions League, so other revenue streams are likely to increase.

At a minimum of four home games that would be £24m, then, but if they went all the way, they could be banking £48m in matchday revenue.

Tottenham's average gate yield is around £4.9m, so they could earn between £19.6m and £39.2m from Champions League home games.

Alongside that, United and Spurs will have individual partnerships which may have incentives for the competitions they qualify for - or penalties in the case of failure.

For example, United are set to face a £10m penalty from Adidas in lost income on their 10-year kit deal every time they miss out on Europe's top table.

If you then also add on qualification for next season's Super Cup, there's an extra £3.4m, then winning that there's an extra £0.85m.

Now, we could take this even further, and visualise the dream scenario for United and Spurs where they win next season's Champions League, as we already have, and add on the potential revenue from subsequent Club World Cup and Super Cup campaigns, but we'd probably be being a bit ridiculous there.

But if we're counting the Europa League triumph, then the potential earnings it gives for next season, plus avoiding the £10m dock from Adidas in the case of United, then that would add up to around £165.1m.

That's more than the GDP of the world's smallest economies, Tuvalu and Nauru.

But even if they flop in the Champions League, losing every single game, they'd still be earning £50.65m from the Europa League win, broadcast revenue, and gate receipts (this would be different for Spurs).

The rewards for players will be handsome if they make the Champions League. Casemiro's wages would rise 25 per cent from £375,000 to £500,000, according to the Daily Star.

But failure to win could entail wage cuts - as The Athletic reported, Andre Onana was apparently 'shocked' to see his wage slashed by 25 per cent this campaign after the club failed to reach the Champions League.

Tottenham players' WAGs were pictured flying out to Bilbao ahead of the Europa League final against Manchester United on Wednesday night.

A picture was posted to Instagram by Ioana Stan, the girlfriend of Spurs defender Radu Dragusin, before she jetted off to the Spanish city to support the Lilywhites.

While she was spotted jetting off to the Basque Country to cheer on Ange Postecoglou's men, she will have to contend with her partner being unavailable for the crunch encounter.

Ioana joined Dragusin in London after he signed for Spurs mid-way through last season in the January transfer window.

She has previously posted pictures of her adjusting to life in England by playing the Tottenham Monopoly board game.

An aspiring architect who has been studying at university, Ioana has been featured on Dragusin's Instagram page since 2021.

He has been absent since tearing his ACL in the earlier rounds of the competition against Elfsborg.

Dragusin had started all of Tottenham's previous 14 Premier League games before suffering that setback earlier on in the season.

He had also started 21 out of 22 games for Spurs in all competitions between October 30 and January 26, coming on after 15 minutes in the other.

The game has an added layer of significance for both United and Spurs given that only the winner of the tie can secure Champions League football next season.

With the two teams sitting in 16th and 17th place in the Premier League respectively, one of them will miss out entirely on European football in 2025-26.

However, the winner of the Europa League is automatically granted entry into Europe's elite club competition for the following campaign.

Ahead of the game, a supercomputer has predicted which side will come out on top in the contest.

The winner was generated by simulating the entire competition 1,000 times.

For each simulation, the code recorded where each team finished in the table and their likelihood of winning the trophy after each stage.

The results were then converted into percentages, showing the probability of each team finishing in each position in the league.

For the Europa League final showpiece at San Mames, AceOdds backed Tottenham to win 3-2 and lift a trophy for the first time since 2008.

Ange Postecoglou will take charge of his 100th Tottenham match on Wednesday

The Australian boss is hoping to pick up Tottenham's first trophy in 17 years

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Ange Postecoglou will move on without regret if the Europa League final, his 100th game in charge of Tottenham, proves to be his penultimate in the job.

The prospect of the sack will not distract him from what is at stake tomorrow against Manchester United, he said, although he made it clear he wanted to carry on with the work he has started.

'I've been in this position before where the big game was the last game I managed,' said Postecoglou, sounding resigned to his fate in Bilbao, as he listed teams he had left on a high, including Australia, Celtic and Brisbane Roar.

'It's not unusual territory for me. I qualified for a World Cup and left. Won the Treble with Celtic and left. Won at Brisbane and left. It's actually more common than you think.

'I've always navigated it pretty well. I'm pretty good at just making sure all my focus is on giving this football club the best opportunity it's had for a while to do something special.

'Whatever happens after that, I'm very, very comfortable that I'll continue on trying to win trophies wherever I am.'

Postecoglou appears increasingly likely to leave the post after two years, regardless of the result against United, with Spurs already embarking upon into the task of finding a successor.

Despite this successful Europa League campaign, they languish 17th in the Premier League with one game remaining, at home against Brighton on Sunday, in another season devastated by injuries.

He insists, however, there has been progress and that bringing home Tottenham's first trophy since 2008 and their first in Europe since 1984 would be confirmation of that.

'I don't think my job is done here,' said Postecoglou. 'I really feel like we are building something and what a trophy does is hopefully accelerate that. So, I still think there is work to be done.

'It is quite obvious with the challenges we've had this year, which I think are well chronicled, but there is some reasoning in the context of that, but also there has been some growth and I would like to see through.

'Whether that happens or not is not that important right now, but I don't think this job is finished, far from it. I certainly feel there is some growth there that we can take this club to where it needs to be.'

TNT Sports' pundits were spotted slumming it on a last minute budget flight to Bilbao ahead of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League final clash.

Around 80,000 fans have started to descend on Bilbao using any means possible including planes, trains, cars and even a boat.

And it is no different for TNT Sports' pundits, who were forced to fly out to the Basque city on a less than luxurious route.

Rio Ferdinand, Gareth Bale and Glenn Hoddle, who will be hosting the channel's coverage of the final on Wednesday alongside Paul Scholes, were seen on a Vueling flight from London on Tuesday afternoon.

They were joined by jubilant Tottenham fans who were loudly chanting 'Spurs are on their way to Bilbao' throughout the journey.

Vueling, a Spanish low-cost airline, provides cheap routes to European cities.

But it appears TNT still weren't keen to fork out extra on seating the pundits next to each other, with the former United and Tottenham stars spread out across the plane.

Despite being surrounding by opposition fans, United legend Ferdinand appeared comfortable on the two hour flight, dozing off on his window seat while fans noisily sang.

Bale, who will hope his old club Spurs can pick up their first piece of silverware since 2008, tucked his baseball cap over his eyes and spent most of the journey fixated on his laptop.

While, Hoddle, who won two FA Cups with Tottenham and managed the north Londoners for two years, slept in his aisle seat for most of the flight.

A fellow passenger told MailOnline: ‘I couldn't believe it when they turned up on our budget flight.

'Everyone was thrilled and singing at them. They took it in good spirits, even though they must be used to more luxury and quiet than this when they travel.'

Ferdinand was criticised for his commentary during United's stunning Europa League quarter-final win against Lyon, with broadcasting legend Clive Tyldesley accusing the ex-United star of turning TNT's coverage into a club fan channel.

But the 46-year-old is set to be the busiest pundit of the lot as he will be offering his views on the Champions League final on May 31 as well.

Manchester United and Tottenham have both endured miserable domestic campaigns and sit in lowly 16th and 17th place in the Premier League.

Fans who are hoping to see their season's revived with a European trophy have traveled using obscure routes via far away destinations and come up with other ingenious methods to help minimise the cost of getting to the game.

United fan and YouTuber Flex charted his journey on X on Tuesday morning, and he started off by taking a plane to Prague.

'Road to Bilbao has began! he posted. '1st stop Prague lol!

'Bring this trophy back & Champions League money to rebuild this squad! YANITED!!!'

After touching down in the Czech capital, Flex gave another update, writing: 'Plane number 2! Madrid bound.'

A group of Spurs supporters decided that heading to Paris first was the best route, as they wrote on X: 'In France, next stop Bilbao.'

Three of the fans were seen clutching a beer as they looked to get into the spirit ahead of what promises to be an exciting but nervy evening for both clubs.

One seafaring chap posted a picture of a boat in a canal on Sunday morning, writing: 'En-Route to Bilbao. Over bay of Biscay, should arrive Tuesday night.'

On Monday morning, the supporter gave an update with a video from the Bay of Biscay, claiming there was 'better phone signal on the moon'.

'One hundred per cent you're sinking in that,' warned one follower on X.

While up to 80,000 supporters are believed to be making the journey to the Spanish city, each club has been given an allocation of just 15,000, meaning thousands are arriving ticketless.

Exteberria Park, around 45 minutes on foot from the ground, is being converted into a gigantic Manchester United fan zone with 56,000 pints of lager being imported, according to local outlet El Correo.

Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim's men were seen arriving at Manchester Airport on Tuesday ahead of their season-defining clash with Tottenham.

Joshua Zirkzee shared a snap from his plane seat alongside captain Bruno Fernandes with an insightful one-word message for fans: 'Bilbao'.

The Dutchman is one of three stars who handed United a boost in the morning by training along with Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot.

All three had been fitness doubts but they have been included in Amorim's travelling squad for a game which could be worth more than £100million to the victors.

Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez are the only two first-team stars to miss out through injury, while youngster Chido Obi is ineligible.

Tottenham take on Man United in Wednesday's Europa League final in Bilbao

Ange Postecoglou tears into journalist who said defeat would make him a 'clown'

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Ange Postecoglou turned his ire on a reporter during a tetchy press conference ahead of Tottenham's Europa League final against Man United.

The two struggling Premier League sides will go face to face in Bilbao on Wednesday night knowing that victory would not only see them lift silverware but also grant them a place in next season's Champions League.

It is a prize which would go a long way towards rescuing what has been a miserable campaign for both clubs. Man United are enduring their worst ever Premier League season and sit 16th in the table with 18 defeats. And Spurs' domestic form has been even worse — they have lost three more matches and are a point below their rivals in 17th.

That has led to speculation that Postecoglou could face the axe as Tottenham manager with reports this week claiming that the club were lining up Ajax boss Francesco Farioli as a potential replacement.

Delivering Tottenham's first piece of silverware for 17 years — the 2008 League Cup — could prove the difference between tragedy and triumph for the Australian in his second season at the club.

But when asked by Dan Kilpatrick of The Standard whether he is 'walking a fine line' between a successful and disastrous campaign, Postecoglou couldn't hide his anger.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Standard journalist had claimed in his column that defeat against Man United would make Postecoglou 'a clown' and the former Celtic boss did not take kindly to that suggestion.

'That depends on your outlook Dan," said Postecoglou.

'But I'll tell you one thing, irrespective of tomorrow, I'm not a clown. I never will be, mate.

'Really disappointed you used such terminology about a person who for 26 years, without any favours from anyone, has worked his way to be in a position where he's leading a club in a European major competition.

'For you to suggest that, somehow, us not being successful means that I'm a clown, not really sure how to answer that question.'

Postecoglou has spoken proudly of his record of always winning a trophy in his second season at a club.

He won the Australian title with both South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar and the Japanese league with Yokohama F. Marinos — all in his second season or second full season in charge.

Postecoglou also won the Asian Cup two years after becoming Australia boss — and the Scottish championship in both seasons with Celtic.

Even if he were to repeat the trick on Wednesday night, that may not be enough to save his job with Mail Sport reporting last month that the club's European fate would not be the determining factor in Postecoglou's future.

But the 59-year-old insisted he is losing no sleep over the speculation.

'My future is assured mate, don't... I wouldn't be the first person who changes jobs mate, we all change jobs, I'm sure you've had more than one job,' he said.

'My future's assured. I've got a beautiful family, I've got a great life, I'll keep on winning trophies until I finish, wherever that is.

'So, don't worry about my future, mate. My future is not tied with anything, my future is assured.

'Provided, God willing, my health remains, my beautiful family is beside me, my friends, there's nothing wrong with my future mate.'

Patrice Evra has shared the heatbreaking reason why he will not be able to fly to Bilbao to watch Manchester United take on Tottenham in Wednesday's Europa League final.

Ruben Amorim's side will be looking to resurrect a stuttered season at San Mames after an impressive European campaign has kept them in touch for silverware.

The Red Devils will face off with their Premier League rivals under uncannily similar circumstances, with the clubs sitting 16th and 17th in the domestic standings with one game each left to play.

But the Manchester club could yet book a spot in next year's Champions League draw, and fans in their number are flocking to Basque region to watch the team take their chances.

However, Man United legend Evra will not be among them, with the former defender sharing his tragic reasoning on social media on Tuesday.

'Hi guys. I was supposed to come to Bilbao tomorrow for the final in person to show you support, sharing my positive energy,' the France international said in a video shared to Instagram.

'But unfortunately, I have to go to Paris for the funeral of my sister on the same day of the final.

'She was 56, fighting against the cancer for 20 years,' Evra, who is one of 23 siblings, added.

Alongside his touching statement - which was met with scores of condolences and well-wishes from his followers - Evra sent a rallying cry to Amorim and his players in lieu of his appearance at San Mames.

'Resilience, fighting. That's what I want from you guys tomorrow. Just fight, bleed for this shirt,' Evra continued.

'For the fans, for the staff, for the people in Manchester, for the fans all around the world, there is no excuse. This is your duty tomorrow.

'I think your coach is someone I support, someone I believe in. Even if we win or we lose, give something guys.

'It's gonna be a tough game. Tottenham also has a lot to lose. They are in the same position in the league like us.

'They didn't win a trophy, so this is a massive chance for them. But this is no excuse. We are Man United.

'Do you know how many fans gonna travel around the world and believe they're gonna celebrate after the game because they believe in you guys, no matter what.

'Because we can do it guys. So like I say, bleed for this shirt, the history. Think about the people, your family or whatever, there is no way other than to win.

'Don't be selfish. It's a qualification in the Champions League, so we can prepare for the future next year.

'So guys, you know, I will be far away. I'm counting on you.'

As well as Evra's call to arms, Man United were handed a major boost in the form of the return to training of three crucial stars.

Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, and Diogo Dalot were all involved in the final session on English soil before the team jetted to Bilbao on the eve of the final.

Disabled Manchester United and Tottenham fans have hit out at the 'insulting' number of wheelchair and accessible tickets available for their Europa League final clash.

A mere 26 wheelchair spaces and 15 'easy access' seats, which provide added room for those with mobility issues, are available out of either side's 15,000 allocation at Athletic Bilbao's 53,000 seater San Mames Stadium.

Wednesday's final provides United and Spurs with an opportunity to give supporters some cheer after enormously disappointing domestic campaigns, but disabled fans have been left bemused as their allocations falls significant of even UEFA's own guidelines.

UEFA recommends that a stadium of San Mames's capacity, which is being reduced to 49,600 for the final, should have 236 wheelchair spaces and 236 'amenity and easy access seats'.

Even at its usual capacity, it only holds 208 wheelchair and 102 easy access seats, meaning it does not comply with UEFA guidelines.

Each club should have been given 58 wheelchair spaces and 28 easy access seats with the final's capacity, according to disabled sports charity Level Playing Field.

Mark Spencer, a member of Spurs Ability, the fan group representing disabled supporters, said the allocation was 'insulting'.

'To say I'm gutted is an understatement, he told BBC Sport. 'I wasn't able to go to Madrid for the Champions League [final] in 2019 and I thought this might be my chance - but Uefa have just not given us the percentage of seating that they should be giving us under their own rules and regulations.

'You feel that you're being prevented from watching football and supporting your team because of a disability so it's quite insulting and very disappointing.

Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association secretary, Rick Clement, said: 'To see that in 2025 we are still not receiving a fair allocation of accessible tickets, which fall short of UEFA's own guidelines, is extremely disappointing and reinforces the fact that disability is often an afterthought.'

SpursAbility co-chair, Rita Egan, said they were 'extremely disappointed' at the allocation.

'The numbers for both fanbases are wholly insufficient,' she said. 'There should at least have been a proportionate distribution of the spaces available at the stadium, in line with the general allocation.'

Tony Taylor, the Chair of Level Playing Field, accused UEFA of 'lacking accountability' and locking supports out of the final.

'Inadequate provisions are set to result in disproportionate exclusion, on a day when fanbases should be united for a celebration,' he said.

'Instead, we have seen another failure from UEFA at a showpiece event. Accountability has been lacking before and now we can see more disregard for disabled fans, which ignores the governing body's own guidance and underutilises the facilities available, without adequate justification.

'We know that there are additional barriers to European travel for many disabled fans. To then have further barriers put in place through ticketing and a lack of facilities, and be disproportionally locked out of occasions like this, is unacceptable.

'I feel for the disabled fans of both clubs who have supported their sides throughout this season and are set to miss out on what could be the highlight.'

Level Playing Field also said it has been in discussion with Chelsea Disabled Supporters' Association about the lack of accessible seating in their Conference League final against Real Betis.

In response to the criticism, UEFA said it was 'committed to ensuring a barrier-free experience for disabled fans and are working hard to improve both standards and experiences related to this.'

'The provision of quality sightlines is a decisive factor when determining whether a seat can be offered at a UEFA club final but we also factor historical demand as this is a way in which we manage to increase the numbers in accordance to demand.

They added: 'For context: For the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final 2024 in Bilbao, we allocated 60 seats and sold 59. For the UEFA Europa League Final 2024 in Dublin, we allocated 93 seats and sold 41.'

Via planes, trains and automobiles, Tottenham have arrived in Bilbao for the club's biggest game in decades.

Win, and with their first trophy in 17 years will come the added glory of returning to European football's top table with a spot in the Champions League next season.

Lose, and the number 17 takes on a different dimension - Spurs' league position. Defeat in Spain will make that impossible to ignore, or put down to focusing on Europa League exploits, and manager Ange Postecoglou will almost certainly lose his job.

That, of course, may happen anyway. But Postecoglou has said he always wins a trophy in his second season and intends to deliver on that promise, regardless of whether it is enough to convince Daniel Levy that he is the man to take Spurs on.

There is around £100million riding on Wednesday's final for each club, plus the futures of their managers, Champions League qualification, bragging rights and, of course, a trophy.

Here, MATT BARLOW reveals how Spurs have been preparing for this seismic Spanish clash.

Monday, May 12

The morning after another dismal defeat, this time losing 2-0 at home to soon-to-be FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, and TV, radio and the written press descend on Tottenham’s training centre near Enfield for their Europa League final media day.

Son Heung-min, who returned from injury as a second-half substitute against Palace, talks about his video call with Harry Kane, the former Spurs captain who has won his first major trophy, winning the German title with Bayern Munich. Kane wishes his friend good luck and Son vows to take inspiration from his former strike partner.

Postecoglou, who knows his job is on the line even if he wins Spurs' first trophy for 17 years, jokes about wrapping his players in cotton wool for the week rather than embarking on any of the sort of bonding exercises the players did before the Champions League final. Mauricio Pochettino had his players walking on hot coals and breaking arrows against their throats in 2019.

This time, with a much tighter schedule, the injury problems that have plagued Postecoglou are starting to take hold again.

Dejan Kulusevski came off with a knee problem against Palace. The Spurs boss says he is hopeful it is nothing more serious than a knock.

Sergio Reguilon, who has not been selected for the Europa League squad, collides with winger Brennan Johnson in a training game. They are supposed to be on the same team.

Tuesday, May 13

A day off for the players, before they turn their attentions to the Friday night visit to Aston Villa.

Wednesday, May 14

More media activity, with photography and green-screen shots of the players ahead of the final.

Further scans on Kulusevski’s right knee reveal damage to his patella. He has surgery which rules him out of the final.

It is a bitter blow to Spurs, who have lost the three most creative midfielders from their squad. Lucas Bergvall damaged ankle ligaments in training on the eve of the first leg of the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt and James Maddison has been ruled out for three months after injuring knee ligaments in that game.

In South Korea, a story breaks. Son has filed a complaint to the police that he is being blackmailed.

Thursday, May 15

Postecoglou dismisses the Son blackmail story as ‘a legal matter’ - police in the captain's homeland have arrested two people on suspicion of extortion and attempted extortion after demanding money from him to say silent over an alleged pregnancy - and reacts to the Kulusevski injury blow at his pre-match press conference by signposting a weakened team at Villa in the last game before the final.

Postecoglou rails against accusations that he might damage the ‘integrity’ of the Premier League for those competing for the top five.

Bergvall sweeps the club’s player of the year awards despite only starting 11 Premier League games. There’s a message in there for others as well as appreciation for the teenager who also started 10 Europa League games and sparkled in the second half of the season, after a difficult start following his arrival last summer from Djurgarden.

The first team train and travel ahead of the Villa game.

Friday, May 16

As warned, Postecoglou selects a second-string team at Villa. Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert up front, with Mikey Moore on the right and Son on the left.

The only starters with a chance of starting in Bilbao are Son, who needed game time after his injury and played for 74 minutes, and Pape Matar Sarr who came off after 54 minutes complaining of discomfort in his back.

Centre halves Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven and left back Destiny Udogie do not make the squad, and instead stay behind in London and train. Pedro Porro and Guglielmo Vicario are unused subs. Midfielder Callum Olusesi, 18, and defender Dante Cassanova, 20, are on the bench.

Spurs lose 2-0. Defeat number 21 in the Premier League and their seventh in the last nine games, with all eyes on the Europa League.

Saturday, May 17

The team doesn’t get back to London until 1.30am and this has been designated as another rest day for most of the players.

All eyes can now turn fully to Bilbao.

Sunday, May 18

There is what Postecoglou calls ‘a strong session’ - the last full blow-out for his first-teamers before the final. And more media commitments, this time for the Premier League rights holders ahead of the final game of the season, at home against Brighton on Sunday.

An interview emerges late from Australian broadcasters Optus Sports, in which the Spurs boss talks about his proud record of winning something in his second season at every club and says he does not regret his decision to remind the world of his success.

'Why would I regret something I’m proud of?' says Postecoglou. 'Live your life as you should, stand up for your achievements and be proud of it. That’s what I do.'

Monday, May 19

Another lighter training session in the morning, lunch and on to the team bus at the training ground to Stansted Airport, with the flight to Bilbao at 3.30pm.

Postecoglou is keen for the extended squad to travel and be part of the occasion, including all the injured players and the youngsters who have featured in the Europa League campaign.

This includes the likes of centre forward Will Lankshear, who made his debut at Ferencvaros in October, scored and was sent off at Galatasaray in November, and has spent the second half of the season on loan at West Brom, and those no longer in the squad such as Fraser Forster.

Spurs land in damp northern Spain just before 7pm local time. They have dinner together in the hotel and a quiet night with plans to train on the pitch after pre-match press conferences on the eve of the game. Their date with destiny awaits.