Tottenham – Man United, Europa League – Final

Tottenham will be cautious in their actions.

It is natural for both teams to seek security in their play, and I find it hard to imagine that either side will opt for a more aggressive start to the match, trying to push the opponent back into their own half. Instead, they will aim for solid build-up play, with passes of about 10–15 meters that are safe, and only in the final third of the pitch will they take any risks. At Tottenham, the creative Kulusevski, Maddison, and Bergvall are missing. This will likely force the Spurs to drop deeper into their own half and, from there, try quick transitions or even long passes to the forwards to bypass the center of the field. Several times throughout the season, Tottenham used to beat Manchester United, but now the situation is different – the Spurs are lacking the players in the center of the pitch.

Manchester United’s chances seem considerably higher from an experience standpoint.

It is clear that Manchester United relies on at least five players behind their build-up line. Specifically for this match, Manchester United have problems in their defensive line due to injured players. But it would be logical to see the experienced players in action – Lindelöf, Maguire, and Luke Shaw as central defenders. These three have years of partnership behind them, with finals won and lost, making this immensely important. In midfield, Amorim has all the experienced figures at his disposal; however, on the wings, the issue in the center of the attack still remains. Overall, United will have a strong squad. Tension will be a factor for both teams, with no real difference, but managing it is also crucial, and the Red Devils are quite stable in that regard.

From the perspective of both teams, this could easily be called “the match of the season.”

And for both sides, the situation is the same – with a win, they enter the Champions League, and with a loss, they remain outside Europe. It is natural to expect a low-scoring game, with few clear shots. There will simply be plenty of players behind the build-up line in both teams, which leads to a focus on security even in the passing game when in possession. A closed match is the expected outcome, with the only difference possibly coming in the final minutes when the team that is trailing is expected to push forward, and both teams struggle with quick transitions in defense and are very vulnerable there.