Can Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) finally lift a trophy? He has reached the final stage for the third time in his club career. The opponent in the final battle is Manchester United, whom he has faced three times this season and has won all three encounters.
Tottenham won the away leg of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League (UEL) semifinals against Bodo/Glimt (Norway) 2-0 on the 9th (Korea time) at the Asmira Stadium in Bodo, Norway.
Thus, Tottenham advanced to the final by defeating Bodo with an aggregate score of 5-1. They won the first leg at home last week 3-1 and secured a ticket to Bilbao for the final by winning even in the challenging away match in Bodo. The Asmira Stadium, located in the Arctic region, is known as a graveyard for visiting teams due to the cold weather and artificial turf, but it was not enough to topple Tottenham.
Under the guidance of head coach Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham started with a 4-3-3 formation. Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson were upfront, while Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Dejan Kulusevski played in the midfield. Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Pedro Porro formed the defense, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal. Son Heung-min missed his seventh consecutive game due to a foot injury.
Tottenham played well against the 'home stronghold' Bodo. They actively pressed from a high position and disrupted the opponent's attacking development. Although Bodo, desperate for a goal, had more possession of the ball, they could not create significant chances. With no urgency, Tottenham focused on not conceding in order to secure their place in the final.
Tottenham threatened Bodo's goal. In the 16th minute of the first half, Udogie delivered a low cross from the left side of the box, but the goalkeeper stretched out his arm to safely clear it. In the 23rd minute, Porro's sharply curled free kick was also stopped by the goalkeeper's save.
The dull back-and-forth battle continued. In the 33rd minute of the first half, Johnson received a warning for an unnecessarily dangerous tackle. Bodo had a rare shot. In the 35th minute, Kasper Høgh headed a cross from the left, but the ball went over the goal. Bissouma's shot in first-half stoppage time also went wide after deflecting. The first half ended without a score.
Bodo swallowed their disappointment. In the 6th minute of the second half, Jens Petter Hauge delivered an early cross from the left behind the defense. The Tottenham defense missed the penetrating Bodo attacker, but with a close call, he did not get a touch, and van de Ven cleared it with a header.
Both benches began to move. In the 15th minute of the second half, Bodo brought in Ole Didrik Blomberg and Høgh, introducing Sondre Sørloth and Andreas Helmersen to their attacking line. Tottenham also substituted Richarlison for Mathys Tel, changing their left wing.
Tottenham scored the opening goal. In the 18th minute of the second half, from a corner kick, Romero headed the ball down, which Solanke connected with a diving shot, finding the net. Tottenham extended the aggregate score to 4-1, bringing them closer to the final.
Tottenham sealed the win with a fortunate additional goal. In the 24th minute of the second half, Porro attempted a cross from the right. However, the slightly deflected ball hit the opposite goalpost and was sucked into the net. Porro celebrated with the 'dart ceremony' of James Maddison, who is out for the season due to injury, dedicating the goal to his teammate.
Just before the end, it seemed that Bodo had earned a penalty kick. Porro cleared the ball in the box with a tackle, and the referee called a foul. However, after an on-field review, the penalty kick declaration was canceled. Ultimately, the match concluded with a 2-0 victory for Tottenham.
Tottenham's opponent in the final is Manchester United, who triumphed over Athletic Bilbao. On the same day, Manchester United pulled off a comeback victory over Bilbao at home with a score of 4-1, reaching the final with an aggregate score of 7-1. Manchester United and Tottenham, sitting 15th and 16th respectively in the Premier League, are having a dismal season, and they are set to clash for the trophy in European competition.
If Tottenham wins against Manchester United, it will mark the end of a 17-year trophy drought since the 2007-2008 season. Additionally, even though they have fallen to 16th place in the Premier League, they could achieve the rare scene of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. The final between both teams will take place on the 22nd at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.
The Premier League Secretariat is also changing the schedule to support Tottenham's title challenge. Tottenham requested a schedule change for their away match against Aston Villa, which was originally set for the 18th. Villa protested, but the Premier League accepted some of Tottenham's requests, moving the match to the 17th.
As a result, Tottenham will be able to take a four-day break after the match against Villa before heading into the UEL final. Originally, Tottenham requested a schedule change to the 15th, but it was moved just one day earlier. Manchester United also faces Chelsea on the 17th, putting them in a similar situation.
The player who desires victory more than anyone at Tottenham is none other than Son Heung-min. He made his professional debut in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, but has not lifted a trophy in the 15 years since. Having spent 10 years at Tottenham, his best achievement has been second place.
This is Son Heung-min's third time reaching the finals in club competitions. He participated in the UEFA Champions League final in the 2018-2019 season but lost 0-2 to Liverpool, lowering his head. In the 2020-2021 season, he appeared in the League Cup final but could not overcome Manchester City, finishing as a runner-up and shedding tears.
Son Heung-min, who is challenging for his first victory through 'two attempts and three failures,' can become the first Asian player to reach the finals of both UCL and UEL with this win. Considering Son’s uncertain future at Tottenham and the club's recent slump, this final could be his last chance to win a major European tournament.
Son Heung-min's long-cherished dream is to lift a trophy while wearing a Tottenham uniform. He revealed his desire for victory last August, stating, "I still don't think I am a legend of this team. I have said that I want to win something with Tottenham. If that happens, I would be very happy and be called a legend."
However, it is uncertain whether Son Heung-min will be able to play in the final against Manchester United. He played about 80 minutes in the second leg of the UEL quarterfinal against Frankfurt on the 11th of last month but has not played in a single match since then. Due to a foot injury, he has missed the last seven matches, including this one against Bodo.
Nevertheless, Son Heung-min has not fully recovered yet. Fortunately, he is partially resuming individual training, but the exact return date is unknown. Some are even expressing concerns that he might be out for the season. Previously, 'Tottenham Hotspur News' worried that Son Heung-min might have already played his last match in a Tottenham jersey.
It seems certain that his condition is improving. Head coach Postecoglou explained in a press conference before the Bodo match, "Son Heung-min is still recovering. He is doing individual training but has not returned to team training. There is a possibility he might return on the weekend, but he won't travel for the Bodo away match. Son Heung-min himself is pushing hard for a return."
For now, it is highly likely that Son Heung-min will take a break before the final and not overexert himself. The ideal scenario would be for him to make a substitute appearance in the Villa match to boost his match sharpness. Paul O'Keefe, a journalist well-versed in Tottenham's internal news, has claimed that if Tottenham reaches the final, Son Heung-min will be able to play at that time.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Mirror, 433, Tottenham social media.
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