Son Heung-min aims for Europa League trophy and legendary status with Tottenham

Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) is set to lift his first trophy in his career. He is now poised to compete in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final, following being the first Asian player to reach the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final.

Tottenham announced on the 12th (Korean time) via the club's website that "Postecoglou expects captain Son Heung-min to push forward now after returning from injury in the match against Crystal Palace last Sunday."

Additionally, "Son Heung-min, who missed seven matches due to foot problems for a month, returned to play in the 13th minute of the second half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Naturally, the countdown for the Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao has begun. Coach Ange Postecoglou noted in the media that if everything goes according to plan, Son Heung-min will maintain 'good condition' in Spain."

Tottenham will face Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final for the 2024-2025 season at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd. Surprisingly, Tottenham and Manchester United, who sit at 17th and 16th in the Premier League respectively, will meet on the highest stage of European competition.

This is the last chance to finish a dreadful season with a smile. Tottenham has recorded 20 losses in the league, setting a club record for the most losses in a single season since the inception of the Premier League. Looking back further, the last time Tottenham recorded 20 losses in a 38-match season was the 1912-1913 season. However, if they can manage to defeat Manchester United just once, they can escape from 17 years without a trophy and secure a place in the UCL.

Coach Postecoglou reported on the condition of captain Son Heung-min ahead of the final. He explained during the media day, "In terms of physical condition, Son Heung-min is doing well. The fact that he played for a few minutes yesterday was important. He needed the playing time. Most importantly, it was very important for him psychologically."

Son Heung-min made his return in the match against Crystal Palace on the 11th. He came on as a substitute in the second half, playing for about 32 minutes. Although he seemed to lack match fitness, the fact that he is back is positive news. This was his first game since the first leg of the UEL quarterfinal against Frankfurt last month.

Fortunately, there was no recurrence of his injury. Coach Postecoglou said, "Son Heung-min trained well today. Since he played in yesterday's match, he was not planning to participate in the entire session. Son Heung-min is in good condition, and there are still 8 to 9 days left. There is another match on Friday to further improve his condition."

He also emphasized, "Son Heung-min is recovering well. He played for 30 minutes yesterday and needs to play a few minutes in the match against Aston Villa as well. If he just trains well, he will be in good condition. Son Heung-min worked hard with the medical staff to return. It was a somewhat funny injury, and there was no set return time. It was simply important how he felt and how things went. It was crucial for Son Heung-min to secure playing time, and now we hope he can push forward."

Coach Postecoglou seems confident there will be no issues for Son Heung-min to participate in the final. He is expected to play for a short period in the away match against Villa on the 17th to maximize his match fitness.

This is an opportunity Son Heung-min cannot miss. He made his professional debut in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, but has never lifted a trophy in the following 15 years. He spent 10 years at Tottenham but has only achieved second place at best.

This will be Son Heung-min's third time reaching a club competition final. He played in the UCL final in the 2018-2019 season but lost 0-2 to Liverpool. In the 2020-2021 season, he also reached the League Cup final but was unable to overcome Manchester City, finishing as the runner-up with tears.

Son Heung-min, seeking his first career victory on 'the second time's the charm.' If he steps on the pitch against Manchester United without any major surprises, he will become the first Asian player to participate in two European finals. So far, only Park Ji-sung and Son Heung-min have played in the UCL final. However, this season, Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain and Mehdi Taremi (Iran) of Inter Milan are also waiting for their opportunity.

Coach Postecoglou is also well aware of Son Heung-min's desire to win. Son Heung-min stated last August, "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 could be very happy being called a legend."

Coach Postecoglou said, "I am glad Son Heung-min can play. He has been a huge driving force for us this season. He understands better than anyone else what winning a trophy means for the club and for himself."

He continued, "Because Son Heung-min has an incredible career that every player would crave for except trophies," he added, "Son Heung-min knows how important winning is for the club and for himself. So the fact that he has been able to return is a positive thing."

Meanwhile, Dejan Kulusevski's participation in the final remains uncertain. He collapsed and was substituted in the match against Crystal Palace. With James Maddison and Lucas Moura already out for the season, missing Kulusevski would be a significant blow.

Coach Postecoglou explained, "Kulusevski said this morning that his knee hurts. For now, it seems to be a simple contusion, but we will evaluate it after he rests for 24 hours."

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