Will Son Heung-min (33) be seated on the bench in what could be the last final of his Tottenham Hotspur career? The UEFA even excluded Son Heung-min's name from the expected starting lineup.

Tottenham will face Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final for the 2024-2025 season at 4 a.m. on the 22nd at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain. The two teams are currently ranked 17th and 16th in the Premier League and will compete for the European competition trophy.

This final is an opportunity that both Tottenham and Son Heung-min cannot miss. Tottenham has not reached the top since winning the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season. They must break their 17-year drought this time.

'Twice but try again,' Son Heung-min also burns with a desire for victory like no other. He has become a legend since joining Tottenham in 2015, scoring 173 goals in 451 matches, but he has lost in both finals he reached. In the 2018-2019 UEFA Champions League (UCL) final, he lost 0-2 to Liverpool, and in the 2020-2021 League Cup final, he wept as he fell short against Manchester City, finishing as a runner-up.

However, UEFA predicted that Son Heung-min would start on the bench. In a final preview, UEFA projected that 'Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, and Guglielmo Vicario' would make up Tottenham's starting lineup.

The UEFA website noted, 'Tottenham's left attack is the team's biggest dilemma. Son Heung-min has only recently returned from a foot injury, so Richarlison or Matthijs Tel are being considered strong candidates for the starting position. Particularly, Richarlison has started both semifinal matches.'

Local reports in the UK also suggest that Son Heung-min could sit on the bench. 'Football London' reported, 'If Manager Ange Postecoglou maintains the 4-3-3 system and starts Sarr, it could be bad news for the left wingers Richarlison or Son Heung-min. Captain Son Heung-min has proven his fitness in the last two matches, but it seems Postecoglou is saving Richarlison for the final.'

'The Athletic' suggested starting Wilson Odobert instead of Son Heung-min. The outlet commented, 'Son Heung-min has been out for over a month due to a foot injury. He was lively in the first half of his return match against Villa. However, he has been underperforming and has often slowed the attack this season.' It further noted, 'While it would be disappointing if Son Heung-min does not win a title with Tottenham, emotions should not affect the starting decision.'

Additionally, The Athletic emphasized, 'Seeing Odobert or Matthijs Tel use their speed to challenge Manchester United's center-backs is very attractive. I would recommend Odobert.' They added, 'Odobert possesses dribbling skills that can evade defenders and create space for other players, which will be crucial given that Maddison and Kulusevski are unavailable.'

Conversely, there are opinions that Manager Postecoglou must start Son Heung-min unconditionally. 'The Telegraph' noted, 'Tottenham has shown better performances without Son Heung-min. But he must start in the final. While there are views that his performance and physical condition should exclude loyal captain Son Heung-min from the starting lineup, his experience and urgency for victory cannot be overlooked.'

The outlet also stated, 'Son Heung-min should be given the chance to start against Manchester United and earn his name in the club’s winning lore.' They remarked, 'Son Heung-min is a superstar that Postecoglou needs to trust. Tottenham is lacking creativity due to the absence of Dejan Kulusevski, but Son Heung-min is a player who can create something from nothing. He is also a much-needed leader for Tottenham.'

Son Heung-min has also expressed confidence that he is prepared to go the full 90 minutes. In an official press conference held the day before the match, he stated, 'I am ready. After returning from injury, I played in the Palace match and managed around 70 minutes against Villa. I didn’t expect to play so much, but I was able to. I am physically prepared and completely ready to play. All the players are ready for the most important match of the season.'

Meanwhile, Manchester United, who will face Tottenham, has seen the return of several injured players. Both Leni Yoro and Joshua Zirkkzee, who were doubtful for the final, have returned, as has Diogo Dalot. Compared to Tottenham's injuries, with Lucas Bergvall, James Maddison, and Kulusevski unable to play, Manchester United has less of a personnel shortage.

UEFA anticipates that Manager Ruben Amorim will set up his team in a 3-4-2-1 formation to meet Tottenham. The expected starting lineup includes 'Rasmus Hojlund, Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, Patrick Dorgu, Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Leni Yoro, and Andre Onana.'

UEFA explained, 'Leni Yoro and Diogo Dalot have recovered from their injuries. Joshua Zirkkzee was expected to be out for the season but has made a surprising recovery. However, the biggest decision for Manager Ruben Amorim is regarding the attack. Mason Mount and Amad Diallo had impressive performances in the second leg against Athletic Bilbao in the semifinals.'

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