Manchester United (ManU) has reached the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final for the first time in four years. They will compete against Tottenham, a team they have lost to three times this season, for the trophy. Ruben Amorim, the ManU manager, noted, "It’s hard to lose all four times," and vowed not to lose this time.

ManU secured their spot in the final with a 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of the 2024-2025 season UEL semifinals, held at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, at 4 a.m. on the 9th (Korea time).

Having won the first leg away match 3-0, ManU advanced to the semifinals with an aggregate score of 7-1. Although they briefly fell behind in the first half, they successfully mounted a comeback in the second half, achieving a resounding victory in front of their home fans.

On the same day, Tottenham secured a 2-0 victory against Bodo/Glimt, advancing to the final with an aggregate score of 5-1. The two teams, both struggling near the bottom of the Premier League standings, will face off for their last ounce of pride on the European stage, with Tottenham in 16th place and ManU in 15th.

On the day, ManU lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Rasmus Hojlund led the attack, while Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho were positioned in the second line. In the midfield, Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, and Noussair Mazraoui were placed, with the defense led by Lenny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and Viktor Lindelof. The goalkeeper was Andre Onana.

Bilbao, missing key players like Inaki Williams, Nico Williams, and Oihan Sancet due to injuries, deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation with Marouane Sanhani at the forefront.

The first half proceeded with a tense flow. In the 22nd minute, Dorgu was brought down in the box, but no penalty was awarded. The match became heated after Mazraoui received a warning for a foul involving his elbow.

The balance was broken in the 31st minute when Bilbao capitalized on a mistake by Maguire to score the opening goal. Alvaro Salo's shot was blocked by the defense, but Mikel Oyarzabal retrieved the loose ball and opened the scoring with a fantastic long-range shot.

Near the end of the first half, ManU missed a golden opportunity. Garnacho received a through pass from Dorgu and attempted a chip shot in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, but it went wide of the goal. The first half ended with Bilbao leading 1-0.

In the second half, ManU changed the momentum with substitutions, bringing in Amad Diallo for Garnacho. Bilbao also deployed two substitutions.

ManU equalized in the 26th minute of the second half. Defender Yoro boldly penetrated into the box and passed the ball to Mount, who calmly turned and struck accurately to score.

The turnaround goal came in the 34th minute of the second half. Casemiro redirected a cross from a free kick on the right side with his head, shaking the net. With this goal, ManU took a 5-1 aggregate lead.

After that, ManU's scoring spree continued. In the 40th minute, Diallo penetrated the right side of the box and delivered a low cross for Hojlund to calmly slot home the third goal. In stoppage time, Mount completed a stunning multi-goal performance with a fantastic curler, sealing the victory.

Ultimately, ManU achieved a dominating victory at home with a score of 4-1, solidifying their place in the final with an overwhelming aggregate score.

ManU aims for their first UEL title in eight years since the 2016-2017 season. At that time, under manager Jose Mourinho, ManU defeated Ajax in the final to win the title. This time, they are challenging for their second UEL title in the club’s history alongside Manager Amorim.

After the match, Manager Amorim noted, "I’m already feeling stressed because of the final. I believe winning the UEL is the least we can do for these fans," adding, "If we don’t win, it doesn’t mean anything. Just reaching the final isn’t enough."

He then acknowledged his shortcomings and apologized. Manager Amorim remarked, "At this moment, I feel I should have been a better manager. The team should have been better, too. (But what’s clear is) we are still working hard."

Manager Amorim has a deep concern for the fans. He emphasized, "It’s more important to give something to the fans than to add a trophy to my career. That’s all," highlighting why he needs to win the UEL.

Before the final, ManU will have to play two more matches in the league against West Ham and Chelsea. However, currently sitting at 15th place, their results in the league are essentially meaningless, so ManU is focused all on preparing for the UEL final.

Manager Amorim stated, "Right now, I’m only thinking about the next game. We need to manage to avoid any injuries before the final."

This season, ManU has lost all three encounters against Tottenham, which adds to the pressure. Manager Amorim emphasized, "Statistically, it’s rare for a team to lose four times in a row to another. I reached a final as a player but lost. But this time, I’m confident it will be different. We need to analyze the game well, luck is needed, and decisiveness is important."

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