Europa League glory won’t help Man United or Spurs get back to the top

The prize on offer to Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur could hardly be more tantalising. While both teams have suffered a dismal domestic campaign, victory in Wednesday’s Europa League final would bring some form of salvation. Champions League qualification in itself would bring up to $50m of extra revenue.

A trophy is a trophy and neither team can afford to be snobby about the opportunity to win the Europa League. Manchester United’s glory days seems a long time ago now, and Tottenham haven’t lifted a trophy for 17 years. Victory at San Mamés on Wednesday would be legitimate cause for celebration.

However, there’s nothing to suggest winning the Europa League will make it easier for either club to reach the top of English soccer again. In fact, if anything the strain of having to play Champions League matches next season without a squad that can handle it could set them back in their development on the pitch.

Ruben Amorim seems wary of this fact, even going as far as claiming winning the Europa League “doesn’t matter” if Manchester United don’t made progress in other, more fundamental areas. He’s right. Victory in Bilbao might be something to savour, but it wouldn’t do anything to ensure United enjoy more success in seasons to come.

“For me it doesn’t matter if we win the Europa League because the problems are much bigger than that,” said Amorim just says after United had reached the competition’s final. “The lack of energy, of urgency. That is the most dangerous things in this club. You can feel it at the beginning of the game. Between our box and opponent’s box there is a lack of urgency. That is something we have to change in this club. I am responsible for that.”

Tottenham Hotspur are in a similar position. The North London outfit have suffered their worst-ever Premier League campaign, currently sitting in 17th place. Ange Postecoglou has struggled to get his ideas across to his players with Spurs now a shadow of the exciting, ambitious team that started the 2023/24 season. 

“Don’t stress,” said Postecoglou when asked about his mindset ahead of the final. “I have been in this position before where a big game has been the last one I have managed. I qualified for a World Cup with Australia and left, won at Celtic and left, won at Brisbane and left. It does happen.

“My future is assured. I have a great family and a great life. Provided my health remains and my family is there my future is assured. I still think there is a lot of work to be done [at Tottenham]. There has been some growth I would like to see through. Whether that happens I don’t know but there is still some growth there.”

Winning the Europa League might not be enough to save Postecoglou’s job. Indeed, recent reports have linked several managers including Andoni Ireola and Thomas Frank to Spurs who could understandably view the dreadful Premier League as a better gauge of where the team truly is at this moment in time.

Alternatively, winning the Europa League could fast-track the recovery of Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur. Qualifying for next season’s Champions League could be worth $50m to either team which would help them sign new, better players in the summer transfer window. It would also make them more attractive to prospective signings.

Manchester United have been linked with several summer targets including Matheus Cunha and Liam Delap, who can reportedly leave Ipswich Town for £30m after suffering relegation from the Premier League. It could be harder for them to sanction transfers if their budget is hit by not making the Champions League.

It would be a similar situation for Tottenham who require a summer rebuild to climb back up the Premier League table next season. In terms of the transfer market knock-on, that would be made harder by not qualifying for the Champions League. In terms of the fixture congestion, though, not being in Europe could be beneficial.

Never before has the Europa League final been such an olive branch for the two teams involved. Wednesday’s match will be played with a sense of desperation that could make the affair rather tense. Finals are always high stakes affairs, but Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are walking a tightrope. One won’t make it to the other side.