Man Utd, Spurs Face Season-Defining Europa League Duel
Manchester United and Tottenham face off in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday with both clubs eyeing a golden ticket into the Champions League after historically poor seasons.
The two teams have lost a combined 39 times in the Premier League, with 20-time champions United an embarrassing 16th in the table and Spurs 17th, a single spot above the relegation zone.
Yet one of them will be celebrating at the final whistle at the San Mames stadium — not just a European trophy but a financial windfall worth potentially upwards of £100 million ($134 million).
Ruben Amorim, in his first campaign at Old Trafford, knows that victory will not solve United’s long-standing and deep-rooted problems, but he admits it would change the mood.
“We have bigger things to deal with than that, to put this club back to the top,” the 40-year-old said on the eve of the game in northern Spain.
But he added: “(If we win) people will look at our team in a different way, because winning a European title is really important.”
The former Sporting Lisbon boss was keen to stress that Champions League revenue is not pivotal to United’s future due to the size and pulling power of the club.
But football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes it is, in monetary terms, “the most important match in the club’s history”.
The huge cash windfall from various revenue streams would be a major boost for United, who are struggling to balance the books, providing vital funds for a squad rebuild.
