TBR Football

Tottenham’s entire season rests upon one game now and that is the Europa League final.

After defeating Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night, Spurs secured their place in the final, where they will face Manchester United on May 21.

The match is of huge significance, as a win in the Europa League would not only end their trophy drought but also book Tottenham a spot in next season’s Champions League.

However, their preparations have already taken a hit.

Tottenham will already be without James Maddison, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season. And now Dejan Kulusevski has appeared to pick up an injury vs Crystal Palace.

Dejan Kulusevski picks up worrying injury against Crystal Palace

Kulusevski had only just returned from a foot injury that sidelined him for a month, playing the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 win over Bodo/Glimt and even registering an assist.

However, he picked up an injury in the 16th minute vs Crystal Palace and while he tried to play on, he could not and was eventually subbed off in the 19th minute.

The Athletic’s Jay Harris reveals that the player was seen going straight down the tunnel with a staff member. He reported on X: “Kulusevski walks off the pitch and goes straight down the tunnel with a member of staff.

“With Maddison and Bergvall out of the Europa League final through injury, losing Kulusevski as well would be a disaster.

It’s far from an encouraging sign as they prepare for their biggest game of the season.

Dejan Kulusevski has been a key player for Tottenham despite struggles

Kulusevski has firmly established himself as one of Tottenham’s most important players since arriving from Juventus.

He has proven to be an asset for Ange Postecoglou, showing versatility and playing across various positions for the Australian.

This season, despite the club’s struggles domestically, he has continued to perform, scoring 10 goals and assisting another 11 in 49 games across all competitions.

A major chunk of those appearances and goals have come as an attacking midfielder, a new role he has adapted to under Ange and excelled in.

His performances have garnered interest in him from several clubs but Tottenham are desperate not to sell Kulusevski.

It remains to be seen how bad the injury is but judging from the early reports, he may end up missing the final, in what will be a massive blow for Tottenham and a big boost for Manchester United.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a terrible season, but they have one last shot at salvaging something from this campaign.

Indeed, Tottenham have set up a date with destiny against Manchester United in Bilbao in the Europa League final.

If Spurs win this game, they will qualify for the Champions League next season and will have ended their lengthy silverware drought.

Jamie O’Hara fancies Spurs to win the Europa League.

It’s previously been said that Ange Postecoglou is likely to be sacked no matter what happens in the Europa League, and Daniel Levy isn’t going to allow the Europa League to influence his decision on the manager.

However, speaking on The Tottenham Way Podcast, Dan Kilpatrick has now shared a differing view on this situation.

Dan Kilpatrick now unsure on Ange Postecoglou’s future

The journalist says he was almost certain Postecoglou was headed for the sack before the Bodo/Glimt game.

However, now the journalist isn’t so sure that Postecoglou will go, claiming that the feeling around the club would be so positive after a Europa League win that it wouldn’t feel right to sack the manager at that point.

“Before the game, I would have said for sure, I think, you know, either way, my feeling is that he’s going to go at the end of the season. And it’s kind of a case of almost like semantics, is he fired having lost the semi-final final, or is it kind of a mutual thing? You know, he walks away having fulfilled his promise to win a trophy in the second season with a kind of thank you and pat on the back from the club,” Kilpatrick said.

“I’m suddenly feeling, you know, not so sure, because it would just be so momentous, you know, in Ange’s words, it would be massive to win this competition, I think. And, you know, there would be an open top bus parade, you know, down the A10 or whatever, you know, down the Tottenham High Road. And the vibes would be so good.

“And, you know, so much about Postecoglou’s tenure has just kind of been based on vibes, I think. And it would, from there, it would just feel, you know, if he wanted to stay, and, you know, he was kind of saying that publicly from a position of strength, it would, you know, it would feel quite jarring. And it would be a big thing for the club to say, ‘actually, we’re going to get rid of the manager who delivered the first European trophy in 41 years and a first trophy in 17 years.’

“So it’s really hard to call. You know, probably my feeling is that if he did kind of walk away on his terms, you know, it was a kind of mutual thing with a big bonus for winning the Europa League and the kind of payoff, you know, forever kind of immortalized as one of Spurs. I mean, let’s face it, one of Spurs’ best managers of the modern era, as he would be if he wins this competition.

“Then I think that, you know, that would be probably the best thing for everyone. Obviously, it depends who succeeds him. But I could see that being a kind of win for all parties, you know, and would then be a very attractive proposition to maybe go out and get another top job somewhere in Europe.

“And Spurs could perhaps move on to a manager who’s just kind of better suited to, you know, managing full competitions and, you know, keeping them punching in the Premier League. So yeah, I think that would be the best case, but I just don’t know now. I feel less certain that it could be his last season.”

Managers who saved their jobs with trophy wins

Ange Postecoglou could save his job if he wins the Europa League, and we’ve seen this situation play out before.

Indeed, just last year, Manchester United kept Erik ten Hag on after he won the FA Cup against the odds, and, ultimately, United made a mistake with that call.

However, that said, three decades prior, a certain manager by the name of Alex Ferguson was in the same boat, and he went on to have unprecedented success with United after saving his job by the skin of his teeth.

Roberto Di Matteo also earned himself a permanent post at Chelsea after the 2012 Champions League win, but his tenure at the Blues was short-lived beyond that.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of examples of managers who were sacked after winning major trophies.

Of course, most of those examples are from clubs that are used to winning silverware each and every year, and Tottenham are a different case in that they haven’t won a trophy in 17 years.

Tottenham would be making quite the statement if they immediately sacked the manager who delivered their first trophy in almost two decades, that’s for sure.

Tottenham Hotspur are one step away from winning the Europa League.

The North Londoners have had their worst season in a long time, but they could still finish with a trophy – their first one in over 17 years.

Spurs face Manchester United in the final of the Europa League, and they should be viewed as the favourites to win, having beaten the Red Devils three times already this season.

Winning the competition will take Tottenham back into the Champions League, and that could help them attract top players.

But, there could be a problem internally.

Cristian Romero makes final decision on Tottenham future

Cristian Romero’s Tottenham future has been up in the air for quite some time now.

The Argentina international is one of the first names on the team sheet at Spurs when he is fit. He has his problems with discipline at times, but on his day, he is an ‘outstanding‘ defender.

Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Romero this summer. He has publicly claimed that he would like to play in Spain too.

Furthermore, Atleti star Julian Alvarez has urged Romero to join him in Madrid next season.

Now, GiveMeSport have revealed that Romero is set to push for a move to Atletico Madrid this summer – he has made up his mind.

The report claims that even if Tottenham win the Europa League final against Manchester United, Romero has no plans of sticking around.

For his part, Daniel Levy is ready to sell Romero, but his demands are unsurprisingly high.

How much money Tottenham are demanding for Cristian Romero

Levy is one of the best negotiators in the game.

Tottenham fans have their issues with him for the way he runs the club, but he deserves credit for his ability to keep hold of his best players more often than not.

Romero clearly wants to leave Tottenham this summer, but for his wish to be fulfilled, Atletico Madrid will have to meet Levy’s valuation, which, according to GMS, is £65 million.

Diego Simeone’s side, however, have been hoping to get this deal done for £40 million.

It remains to be seen if the two sides can meet in the middle once negotiations begin following the Europa League final later in May.

Tottenham are through to the Europa League final, but, make no mistake about it, all is not well at Spurs.

Indeed, while European success would paper over the cracks somewhat, there are still some very worrying underlying problems at Tottenham.

Ange Postecoglou is likely to be sacked regardless of what happens in Europe, and Spurs may soon be on the lookout for a new manager.

Andoni Iraola has been linked to Tottenham, while Fabio Paratici likes Edin Terzic.

However, according to new reports, there’s another manager who could be in line for the Spurs job.

Marco Silva one of the favourites for the Tottenham job

According to Sky Sports and Di Marzio, Marco Silva is among the frontrunners for the Tottenham job at the moment.

Sky Sports note that Silva is one of the favourites for the Spurs job, while Di Marzio goes one step further.

Indeed, the Italian journalist claims that Silva is the most concrete target for Tottenham at the moment as they search for a potential Ange Postecoglou replacement.

What Mikel Arteta has said about Marco Silva

Silva could be headed to north London, and he already has one admirer in that area of the capital.

Indeed, while Silva could be headed to Spurs, Mikel Arteta is a fan of Silva.

Arteta praised Silva and his Fulham team earlier this season.

“They are always a tough opposition. They are well coached and they have been together for many years. They have great organisation and individual quality. They have a very clear identity and idea of how to approach the game, so we have to be very good to beat them,” Arteta said.

“We had a lot of dominance in the last game against them (1-1 draw in December) but they were very clinical. They managed to score the goal and sat back and reduced the spaces.”

Tottenham know first-hand just how good a manager Silva is, as he’s given Spurs a tough time over the past two years.

Whether or not Tottenham end up appointing Silva remains to be seen, but the Fulham boss is certainly a top tactician who’s ready to make the step up to one of the Premier League’s more historically successful sides.

Tottenham enjoyed a memorable night as they sealed their place in the Europa League final with a dominant win over Bodo/Glimt.

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro helped Spurs cruise to a 5-1 aggregate victory over the Norwegian side, setting up an incredible clash against Manchester United in the final.

Ange Postecoglou has frequently highlighted his track record of winning silverware in his second season at every club he’s managed — and he now stands on the brink of doing the same with Tottenham.

While the mood around the club will be joyful, there has been a setback.

James Maddison missed the game due to injury, and Tottenham have today confirmed on their official website that the issue will rule the midfielder out for the rest of the season.

Tottenham star James Maddison posts emotional message on social media

Maddison wasn’t involved in the second leg against Bodo/Glimt, but he played a crucial role in Tottenham’s progression to the Europa League final.

The midfielder scored in the 3-1 first-leg win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, delivering a vital blow that ultimately put the tie beyond the Norwegian side’s reach.

However, his night ended early as he was forced off with a knee problem midway through the second half.

Following scans and further assessment, Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that the injury is serious enough to rule Maddison out for the remainder of the season.

Understandably, the England international has been left heartbroken by the news. Taking to Instagram, Maddison shared an emotional message with fans: “Gutted. Just absolutely gutted. We’ve had our sights on that European final in Bilbao from day one of this campaign.

“So to accept not being able to take part out on that pitch with the boys is really tough to take. Injuries are just part of this game that can be so cruel at times. But I truly believe that it can be a special night for my football club. Bring on the 21st. All together.”

James Maddison’s importance to the Tottenham side

Maddison played a big role in Spurs’ run to the Europa League final, registering three goals and four assists in 11 appearances.

Impressively, he has delivered a goal contribution in each of his last four games in the competition.

But Maddison’s influence extends well beyond his on-field output. He’s regarded as a key leader within a youthful dressing room, helping guide the next generation with his experience and presence.

His importance is widely acknowledged, with teammate Djed Spence hailing Maddison as one of the best in the Premier League.

Jamie Carragher has also praised Maddison, naming him Tottenham’s best player this season for his consistent impact on the pitch.

Tottenham will undoubtedly feel his absence for the remainder of the season, especially in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

Tottenham booked their place in the Europa League final on Thursday night, sealing a 2-0 win away to Bodo/Glimt to complete a commanding 5-1 aggregate victory.

Ange Postecoglou’s side were already in control after a 3-1 win in the first leg at home, and they wrapped things up in style in Norway.

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro capped off a dominant display and ensured Spurs will contest their first European final since 2019.

Cristian Romero sent an emotional message to supporters after the final whistle, with players and fans all daring to dream.

Adding further satisfaction for Spurs fans, their progress came just 24 hours after bitter rivals Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG.

And former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara made sure to mock the rivals about it.

Jamie O’Hara trolls Arsenal after Tottenham reach Europa League final

The Ligue 1 giants beat Arsenal 2-1 in Paris on Wednesday night, following their 1-0 victory at the Emirates last week.

Arteta did not take the defeat well, with Arsenal now set to end the season without a trophy, having lost the Premier League to Liverpool.

Jamie O’Hara wasted no time rubbing salt in the wounds, using Tottenham’s triumph as the perfect opportunity to take a jab at Arsenal on X.

Can Ange Postecoglou end Tottenham’s trophy drought

Spurs are set to face Manchester United in the Europa League final on May 21st, in what promises to be a hugely significant occasion for both clubs.

Tottenham have had a season to forget domestically, as they currently sit 16th in the Premier League, having lost 19 games so far.

Ange Postecoglou is likely to be sacked at the end of the season, with the result of the Europa League final not expected to change the club’s stance.

Still, lifting the Europa League would be a remarkable achievement for the Australian.

Postecoglou has won silverware in his second season at every club he’s managed, and he now stands just one win away from continuing that trend at Spurs.

It will be a special achievement given that even proven winners like Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have failed to deliver a trophy for Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur have missed out on some big-name transfers over the years.

Eden Hazard almost joined Tottenham at one point, while Bruno Fernandes almost signed for Spurs before moving to Manchester United.

However, one of the best players Spurs have missed out on in recent years is Paulo Dybala.

Tottenham wanted Dybala a few years ago, but a deal collapsed late in the day due to image rights.

Dybala is a Serie A great, and speaking to Sports Illustrated, Dybala has now made an interesting claim about a manager he nearly worked under at Spurs.

Indeed, while it was Mauricio Pochettino who nearly signed Dybala, the Argentine would’ve ended up working under Jose Mourinho a few months later had he joined Tottenham.

Now, Dybala has labelled Mourinho as a ‘special’ and ‘unique’ manager after working with him at Roma.

Paulo Dybala calls Jose Mourinho special

Dybala spoke about Mourinho after working with him at Roma.

The attacker called his former manager a special coach and a unique manager.

Unfortunately, we never got to see these two combine at Tottenham, but they very nearly did work together in north London.

“Tiago Pinto told me that Mourinho wants to talk to me (to sign for Roma). Mourinho is special. He’s a coach who has won almost everything. He’s been at the most important clubs in the world. He’s unique,” Dybala said.

“I knew he would convince me and that’s why I wanted to wait.”

Paulo Dybala record under Jose Mourinho

Dybala clearly loved his time under Mourinho at Roma, and the stats reflect that.

Indeed, despite playing in a deeper role under Mourinho, Dybala produced some incredible performances for Roma during that time.

Dybala’s stats under Mourinho tell the entire story, the Argentine played some of the best football of his career under the former Spurs boss.

It’s impossible not to ponder what could have been at Tottenham had Dybala and Mourinho worked together, a front three of Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Dybala playing just behind is a mouth-watering idea, but, sadly, it never came to fruition.

Ultimately, Mourinho was sacked by Spurs in 2021 before moving to Roma, and it’s no coincidence that one of his first actions as Roma boss was to go and sign Dybala.

Tottenham and Manchester United have set up a date with destiny as they prepare to face off in the Europa League final in Bilbao.

Despite both having terrible domestic campaigns, Manchester United and Spurs are now just one game away from qualifying for next season’s Champions League and winning some silverware in the process.

Tottenham could save their season with a win here, while United are in the same boat too.

In turn, United and Spurs could both be about to make a little bit of history.

Indeed, there’s a record here to be broken as United and Tottenham are both on course to break a record that was set by Inter Milan back in 1994.

Manchester United and Tottenham could set European record

Manchester United and Tottenham are one game away from winning the Europa League, and regardless of which team prevails, a record could be broken here.

Indeed, United or Spurs could become the lowest-ranked team domestically to ever win a European trophy.

Back in 1994, Inter Milan won the UEFA Cup, finishing 13th in Serie A in the same season.

That is the lowest-place any team to win a European trophy has ever finished.

However, with Spurs and United currently sitting 15th and 16th in the Premier League respectively, Inter’s long-standing record may well be broken.

Tottenham and United’s fixtures analysed

Of course, the Premier League season isn’t over yet and Spurs or United could still climb above Inter’s infamous 13th-placed finish in 1994.

However, given the current state of the league table, that does look unlikely.

Wolves are in fine form at the moment, so they could pull even further clear of United or Spurs, while Crystal Palace have been solid recently too and will likely become unreachable for either United or Spurs.

As for Tottenham and United’s league fixtures, they’re not easy.

Spurs still have to play Aston Villa and Brighton who are very much in the hunt for Europe right now, meanwhile United have an even tougher run-in as they face Aston Villa and Chelsea.

TBR Football can exclusively reveal that Fabio Paratici has recommended Roberto De Zerbi to Tottenham Hotspur as they look for a new manager.

Spurs have made it into the final of the Europa League after beating Bodo/Glimt over two legs. They will face Manchester United there in Bilbao.

However, as TBR previously revealed, Ange Postecoglou is expected to be sacked by Tottenham even if he wins the Europa League.

Spurs have been working on a replacement for the Australian, and a number of names have been considered so far.

We can reveal that one of them is De Zerbi.

Fabio Paratici has recommended Roberto De Zerbi to Tottenham

Roberto De Zerbi joined Marseille after leaving his job at Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League.

The Italian had a lot of admirers in England during his time there. After Antonio Conte left Spurs, Fabrizio Romano claimed that Tottenham’s dream was to appoint De Zerbi.

But, De Zerbi, who was branded as ‘crazy’ by Alexis Mac Allister, decided to stay at Brighton at the time, and Daniel Levy chose Postecoglou to take charge of Spurs.

Now, with the Australian set to leave, TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey, has revealed that Paratici is a big fan of De Zerbi and has recommended him to Tottenham.

Bailey said: “I understand Roberto De Zerbi is a name that Fabio Paratici – incoming Spurs technical director – is a fan of.

“He liked him during his time at Brighton and recommended him. Even during his talks with AC Milan recently, he was a name put forward.

“De Zerbi is understood to be on the radar of a number of Italian clubs – but Spurs do like him.

Tottenham are doing their homework on seven other managers

De Zerbi is an option for Tottenham, but he isn’t the only one.

Spurs are working behind the scenes to find the right manager, and a number of names have been considered and discussed by the decision-makers at the club.

Bailey can reveal seven names other than De Zerbi that Tottenham are doing their homework on.

“As we have said before, Tottenham have been doing their due diligence on replacements for Ange Postecoglou,” Bailey told TBR.

“Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Mauricio Pochettino, Oliver Glasner and Kieran McKenna are on their radar and they have done work on all of them.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will face each other in the final of the Europa League.

The Red Devils made light work of Athletic Bilbao, smashing seven past them over two legs.

Spurs were comfortable in their two games against Bodo/Glimt too, winning 3-1 in the first leg and 2-0 in Norway on Thursday night.

The two Premier League sides, who have had awful seasons domestically, are now in with a chance of European glory, but who will win it?

Jamie O’Hara and Jermaine Pennant have had their say.

Jamie O’Hara and Jermaine Pennant predict the winner of Tottenham vs Manchester United

Both Tottenham and Manchester United will be desperate to win the Europa League.

The two clubs are 16th and 15th respectively in the Premier League, which is just unacceptable. They should be significantly higher when you consider how much money they have spent over the years.

This season, until this point, is a disaster for Spurs and United, but winning the Europa League will completely change people’s view of them.

After watching the two sides in action, O’Hara backed Tottenham to beat Manchester United in the final in Bilbao later this month.

Pennant, however, feels the Red Devils are a different side now and will get one over Spurs, even though they have lost three times to Ange Postecoglou’s men this season.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT while speaking to a Manchester United fan: “I think we’re going to give you a whupping. We’ve pumped you three times this season, let’s just put it out there. I know it’s a final, it’s different, it’s a final, but we’ve pumped you, three times, destroyed you!”

Pennant said: “In all fairness, I think Man United will topple Spurs. I think United now are a lot better than when Spurs played them.”

Later in the show, O’Hara said: “Yeah (we’ve got their number), but I do worry about Man United in the final. It’s just something about Man United in finals. You know what, though, Ruben Amorim, I thought Man United played brilliantly (vs Athletic Club).

Pennant replied: “That just goes to show you how strong the Premier League is – 15th and 16th beating the top five in their own leagues. But, I think Man United are going to do Spurs. I just can’t see anything else, unfortunately.

O’Hara wasn’t having that and said: “You’re an idiot.”

How Manchester United can stop Tottenham

Tottenham will go into the Europa League final as the favourites having beaten Manchester United three times already this season.

But, Ruben Amorim’s side can get one over Spurs.

Tottenham are at their best when they are given time and space to attack. They always commit numbers forward and are capable of scoring against any team.

If Manchester United want to beat Tottenham, they need to remain compact, defend together and then hit Spurs on the counter-attack.

Tottenham’s defence is fairly easy to breach, especially in transition. That is the way to beat them, but if United try to go toe-to-toe in attack, we think they will get battered.