Tonight, the 2025 Europa League final in Bilbao will feature two Premier League giants, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur who have endured catastrophic domestic seasons, yet find themselves one win away from European glory.
Statistically, it is the most unorthodox final in the history of European competitions. Never before have two clubs in such dismal form reached a continental showpiece. United currently sit 16th in the Premier League, with Spurs just one place below them in 17th. Combined, the teams have suffered a staggering 39 league defeats this season.
Both clubs have been unable to string together any form of consistency since February 2. Their only league victories since then have come against already relegated sides—or each other. Their point totals are so low, analysts say they might have seen them relegated in earlier seasons.
And yet, one of them is on the brink of an unlikely triumph and automatic qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League—an outcome that would make them the lowest-ranked team ever to achieve that feat.
“This is unprecedented,” said former Celtic striker Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live. “You have two fallen heavyweights, both desperate for redemption, and somehow their seasons come down to this one chaotic night.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher. For United, a win could be a lifeline in a season otherwise marred by instability and managerial uncertainty. For Spurs, it could be a miracle turnaround and a chance to rewrite a bleak narrative.
In the end, one team will lift a European trophy, book a Champions League ticket, and momentarily silence the chaos of a disastrous domestic campaign.
