2024-25 Europa League Final: A Battle of Sinking Ships
By: AT
Image Credit: Josip Ivankovic
On May 21, 2025, Premier League (EPL) clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — two of the six EPL clubs known as the “big six” — will compete in the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League (UEL) final, which will take place at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, a city located in the northern Basque Country of Spain. (The EPL’s “big six” clubs include Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.)
While this match is considered among the most prestigious in world club football — especially between two major EPL clubs, which happens sporadically — this year’s UEL final will feature two EPL heavyweights that have underperformed markedly throughout their respective 2024-25 EPL campaigns. After 37 matches (out of 38 — the final EPL matchday takes place on May 25), United and Tottenham both rank in 16th and 17th place with 39 and 38 points, respectively.
Run to the Final
Despite sluggish league performances, both clubs mustered inspiring runs to the UEL final. In the league stage, United finished in third place (out of 36 participating clubs), accumulating 18 points along with an undefeated record of eight matches: five wins and three draws. Conversely, Tottenham garnered 17 points, earning four victories, two draws and one loss. Only Serie A club SS Lazio and LaLiga club Athletic Club boasted a higher number of points in the league stage table — both clubs accumulated 19 points, with Lazio finishing the campaign at the top of the table due to a higher goal differential.
Regarding the UEL knockout rounds, both clubs finished high enough in the league stage to earn automatic qualification for the round of 16, thereby bypassing the playoff round played by clubs ranked 9th to 24th. On one side of the knockout bracket, from the round of 16 to the semifinals, United defeated such opponents as LaLiga club Real Sociedad, Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais and Athletic Club. Ironically, Athletic Club, a Bilbao-based club, play their home matches in the stadium that will host this year’s UEL final. United will seek their second UEL title in the their third final appearance, having won the title in 2016-17 following a 2-0 score against Eredivisie club AFC Ajax and losing on penalties in 2020-21 against LaLiga club Villarreal CF.
This season, United remain the sole undefeated club among those that participated in this year’s UEFA continental club competitions, including participants in this year’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) and UEFA Conference League.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Tottenham defeated such opponents as Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar, Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and Eliteserien (Norwegian first division) club Bodø/Glimt. Thanks in part to this year’s run — as well as their historic performances that include two UEL (then UEFA Cup) titles in 1971-72 and 1983-84, and an additional final appearance in 1973-74, among other UEL/UEFA Cup campaigns — Tottenham boast the highest number of goals scored in UEL/UEFA Cup history, scoring 342 goals.
The figure below indicates the UEL knockout stage bracket and the aggregated scored, including those in which United and Tottenham participated.
Source: FotMob
League Laggards
Despite their strong and consistent performances in UEL, United and Tottenham’s performances in the EPL have been nothing short of dreadful. With one match remaining in the 2024-25 season, only Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton FC — all promoted from the EFL Championship/English second division last season and destined for relegation to that league this season — rank lower in the 2024-25 EPL table than this season’s UEL finalists.
United and Tottenham have raked in atrocious records of 10 wins, nine draws and 18 losses, and 11 wins, five draws and 21 losses, respectively. These records mark the first time that both clubs suffered at least 20 losses in a single season since the EPL was established ahead of the 1992-93 season. Tottenham last suffered 20 losses in 1991-92 — the final season of the First Division — which resulted in a 15th-place finish. However, the last time Tottenham finished with 21 losses resulted in the club finishing in 21st place and being relegated from the First Division in 1976-77. Similarly, when United suffered 20 losses in 1973-74, they were relegated from the First Division. Those two seasons represent the last time both clubs were relegated in domestic league football.
Ultimately, if the EPL contained only 18 clubs instead of 20 — similar to Bundesliga and Ligue 1 — Tottenham would currently be in a relegation position, while United would be competing in a promotion playoff round against the third-place club from the EFL Championship.
Beleaguered Management
This season, both clubs also experienced uncertainty regarding their first-team managers. While pundits and media outlets have continually pondered the future of Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou — who led Tottenham to a fifth-place finish last season, his first at the London-based club — United’s management personnel, despite being turned over early in the season, remains subject to intense scrutiny. For example, after Manchester United sacked former manager Erik Ten Hag in October 2024, the club has failed to improve under Ruben Amorim, who was hired by The Red Devils less than a month after Ten Hag’s sacking. (Former United forward and assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy presided over the club for four matches before Amorim’s hiring and van Nistelrooy becoming Leicester City’s manager.)
Worse, the club paid a whopping US$12 million in compensation to Ten Hag, who was under contract at the club until June 2026. This amount excludes compensation provided to Ten Hag’s personnel, who also received their pink slips at the time of Ten Hag’s sacking while also under contract until that period.
Under Amorim, United have played some of their worst football over the last few decades, bad enough for many to label Amorim’s tenure as the worst start for a United manager. Transfermarkt notes that, throughout Amorim’s first 25 EPL matches, United have amassed only 24 points, which represents the second-fewest points accumulated by a new manager of a “big-six” club throughout a 25-match period. Only Joe Royle — manager of Manchester City between 1998 and 2001 — accumulated less points (22) during a 25-match period.
While it remains uncertain whether United decide to keep him at the helm next season, Amorim, who is under contract in his current role through June 2027, has at times hinted that he would accept a sacking from the club.
Postecoglou, who is also under contract until June 2027, may also get sacked, especially if Spurs fail to win the UEL final. His tenure will be yet another failed experiment at a club that seeks its first trophy since hoisting the EFL Cup in 2007-08.
Years in Decline
In recent years, particularly the last decade following the retirement of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in June 2013, both clubs have undergone some of their worst or most heartbreaking seasons in club history. For instance, United have not won a league title since hoisting their 20th at the conclusion of Ferguson’s final season. Since then, United have won two FA Cup titles (2015-16 and 2023-24), two EFL Cup titles (2016-17 and 2022-23), two FA Community Shield/English super cup titles (2013 and 2016) and the UEL in 2016-17. This trophy record represents a stark contrast to that garnered throughout Ferguson’s 27-year tenure at Old Trafford:
13 EPL titles;
five FA Cup titles;
six EFL Cup titles;
10 FA Community Shield titles;
two UEFA Champions League titles;
one European Cup Winners’ Cup title (now defunct);
one UEFA Super Cup title;
one FIFA Intercontinental Cup title (now defunct); and
one FIFA Club World Cup title.
Since Ferguson’s reign, United have hired and fired nine managers, including caretaker and interim managers; Amorim is United’s 10th manager since Ferguson’s departure. Among all 10 managers, only José Mourinho won at least three titles during his short tenure — from 2016-17 to mid-2018-19 — having won the 2016 FA Community Shield, the 2016-17 EFL Cup and the 2016-17 UEL titles.
Concerning Tottenham, in that same period, they failed to win a single trophy. Spurs came close to winning the EPL title on multiple occasions. For example, Spurs finished within the top-three positions of the EPL table for three consecutive seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-18, during which they finished runners-up in 2016-17. Moreover, they were EFL Cup finalists in 2014-15 and 2020-21, having lost both finals 2-0 against fellow “big six” clubs Chelsea and 1-0 against Manchester City, respectively. The London-based club also concluded their 2018-19 season as UCL finalists, once again losing a final in heartbreaking fashion (2-0), this time against “big six” rivals Liverpool.
Moving Forward
Ultimately, both clubs have suffered through significant major title droughts, while simultaneously suffering from dwindling prestige. A UEL title win this year will provide a degree of relief and a glimmer of hope for the winning club, while the losing club will likely sack their manager and make extensive squad changes during the summer.
The winner will also have the chance to compete in next season’s UCL, despite finishing closer to relegation to the second division. Despite hoisting the UEL trophy and booking a UCL qualification, both clubs need to undergo a massive culture change. This change begins from the front office and must trickle down to the management staff and players.
So far, new club Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe — who is the chief executive officer of INEOS chemicals group, which possess 28.9% of United’s ownership — has been on a warpath, conducting a flurry of cuts that have angered club personnel and supporters, alike. For instance, the club will no longer provide stipends to many former club players enrolled in a fund aimed at providing financial help to former players in need. More recently, several club employees will not have their travel expenses covered by the club, which used to be the case. According to multiple reports, in an act of kindness that has unsurprisingly received plaudits from club supporters, Amorim and other club players have volunteered to cover such expenses.
While Tottenham have not dominated the headlines for such controversial financial measures, the front office and management personnel need to acquire a feeling of urgency and sign players that are talented and, most importantly, enthused about making history and delivering a title for a deprived supporter base.
Although players come and go, their window to win a title with such players as forward Son Heung-Min is closing rapidly. Spurs have failed to capitalize on many title-winning opportunities before seeing such former star players as defenders Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderwiereld, midfielder Eric Dier, and forward and second-highest all-time EPL top scorer Harry Kane leave for different clubs (and win silverware). It would be incredibly unfortunate if Son, who has dedicated almost all of his professional football career to Tottenham, leaves without a medal nor having his name engraved on a trophy in the club’s near-empty trophy cabinet.
