*Loss Has Dire Sporting, Financial Consequences For Utd
By Jason Burt, The Telegraph’s Chief football correspondent, in Bilbao
Ange Postecoglou did it. It is what he does, mate. And, with it, this may well be his mic-drop moment.
Tottenham Hotspur have won their first trophy in 17 years, their first in Europe for more than four decades, and the head coach kept his promise.
The Australian won in his second season in charge – as he declared he would do again.
Some scoffed at his claim. Others used it to ridicule him. And now it is probably the end for him, with the expectation that he will leave after claiming the Europa League and following an otherwise wretched campaign which, nevertheless, has delivered the prize of qualifying for the Champions League, at the expense of Manchester United.
“El Crapico” they called it and the only goal, a messy one, felt in keeping with a low grade but high octane, exciting, tense final with Manchester United – as their head coach Ruben Amorim had warned – unable to save their season.
Reaching the Champions League for this iteration of United would be a poisoned chalice, Amorim had suggested.
Well, he will not have to drink from it and while he might feel it provides him with more time to rebuild diligently, this is United. The pressure is on him more than ever.
It was a goal fit for this final. It was probably also an own goal – but not deemed as one – and that felt cruelly apt given what it has been like for Tottenham and United all season. There have been enough own goals.
Not that the Spurs fans will care. “Dr Tottenham” has left the building although they may laugh, ruefully, that Postecoglou – having done what so many managers at the club failed to do before him – is likely to follow.
Maybe there will be a change of heart. But it does not feel like it. With this victory he has changed the narrative but might not stay.
Spurs claimed the lead towards the end of a frantic, chaotic first half. The nature of it appeared to sum up the feeling around this final. Inevitably it was scrappy, messy and could have been easily avoided – and it appeared to be scored by an opposition player with Luke Shaw trying to beat Brennan Johnson to Pape Sarr’s cross which, all too easily, went past Harry Maguire.
It rebounded off Shaw’s arm – where was goalkeeper Andre Onana? – and as Johnson tried to turn it home it trickled over the goal-line.
Did he get a touch? The forward claimed it but it did not look like it – even if Uefa, somewhat charitably, officially gave it to him.
The goal also came from Bruno Fernandes cheaply giving the ball away twice in quick succession in midfield. So, it captured what had preceded it and was also Spurs’ only effort on target during that period. And that came from a player in a red shirt not a white one.
There was something almost compelling about this final and its context of two teams, two managers, two clubs fearing one last humiliation in a gruesome season.
Or the joy and relief of winning; of clutching victory from the jaws of being the defeated and the almost damned.
Sixteenth versus seventeenth in the Premier League? In a major European final? Pretty extraordinary stuff and in the context of a prize – beyond the silverware – that felt disproportionate. The desperation was palpable.
It had stretched to how fans had got here – journeys via Porto and Plzen, Milan and Istanbul and even leaving the continent, via Marrakesh. From all points of the compass. By plane, train, automobile, bus, camper van, boat and 174 private jets to this Basque city of Bilbao by the banks of the River Nervion. But who would show the most nerves? The answer? Pretty much everyone.
A cagey final? Not on this occasion. It was not high quality but it was high stakes. The atmosphere bought into it: both sets of fans went for it, the noise was relentless and maybe also because it was a Premier League match-up of familiars who knew how much it meant to them but also to their opponent.
The anxiety was always there. Possession was turned over far too quickly, both goalkeepers were unsure – Onana missed a cross and Guglielmo Vicario lost the ball inside his own penalty area – and Spurs went close when Maguire’s mistake (not his last) allowed Johnson in.
Then Spurs’ lack of certainty gave Amad Diallo – one shining light – a sight of goal and he fired narrowly wide.
The quality was not as high as the tension. There was free-kick after free-kick. Stop-start. Stop-start. Niggly and, it felt, almost constant.
Referee Felix Zwayer even held up play at one stage and it was not difficult to lip-read what he said after more pushing and shoving. “Stop it!” he shouted.
How would United react to conceding Astonishingly it was the 31st time they had fallen behind – more than any other Premier League club – in all competitions this season.
Spurs had shown, in Europe, that they can play differently and defend a lead. It was up to United to seize the initiative and change the pattern of a final where there was no flow, no rhythm and now no incentive for Tottenham to provide any. Why should they? They were winning.
United’s best hope was set-pieces and Leny Yoro almost turned in a Fernandes’ delivery only for it to be scrambled away before, at the other end, a poor first touch from Dominic Solanke prevented him from going clear. He had to do better.
It felt like a goal might come from another mistake and Vicario spilled a free-kick, with it rebounding off his head. It looped to Rasmus Hojlund who headed goalwards only for Micky van de Ven to spectacularly hook away from on the goal-line. What a clearance.
Finally United were pressing with Fernandes diving to head past a post and substitute Alejandro Garnacho drawing a smart save from Vicario as Maguire went up front.
How would Spurs respond? Postecoglou changed shape with Kevin Danso coming on and a back-three adopted. Deep into injury-time Vicario repelled a Shaw header and Spurs held on for precious victory.
The loss means there will be no sort of European football for Man Utd next season. For a team in dire need of quality personnel refreshing, with no football in Europe, the club can hardly attract any world class player to join in the summer, portending ominous prospects for next season.
Furthermore, with a staggering debt of about £1billion, the loss of a major trophy this season could whittle down chances of securing lucrative sponsorship and other marketing deals, to help defray the heavy financial liability.
Reactions:
Amorim On The Performance
“I only have to share the pain of our fans, they deserve better. We tried everything. About the future we will see what we are going to do.
“I was always really honest with you guys. We did not perform well today but we were better than the opponent. In the second half we tried everything with the centre defenders players wide, crosses, going inside the box.
“I think today was not the day. We were not perfect, we have a lot to improve but I am always honest with you guys.”
Postecoglou On That ‘Second Season’ Quote
“People misinterpreted me. It was not me boasting, just me making a declaration and I believed it. I had this thing inside me more than anything else.
“I know our league form has been unacceptable, but coming third was not going to change this football club, winning a trophy would, that was my ambition and I was prepared to wear it if it did not happen. People kept reminding me of it because we were getting closer but I’m happy with that.”
