2025 UEFA Europa League Final: Preview

Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs and Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United are set to go head to head in the first all-English Europa League Final since 2019 when the two Premier League Clubs meet in Bilbao on Wednesday night.

Two of the Premier League’s biggest clubs will face off at the iconic San Mames Stadium in the heart of the Spanish City of Bilbao on Wednesday evening for the highly anticipated 2025 UEFA Europa League Final. The game between Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs and Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United will kick off at 8pm.

Tottenham and United will go head to head not just to get their hands on some prestigious European silverware, but it will also be a battle for who gets to seal themselves a spot in the UEFA Champions League for next season.

This Final between the Lilywhites and the Red Devils is set to be the first to be contested between two clubs from the English Premier League since 2019, which was when Chelsea and their North London rivals Arsenal went head to head in that year’s Final at the Baku Olympic Stadium that is located in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This final saw Chelsea beat Arsenal 4 – 1 thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud (49’), Pedro (60’), as well as Eden Hazard, who scored one of his two goals from the penalty spot (65’ – Penalty, 72’). The only goal for the Gunners that night came from Nigeria international forward and current Fulham player Alex Iwobi midway through the second half (69’). The two teams were managed on the night by Maurizio Sarri and current Aston Villa Boss Unai Emery, respectively.

Back on to the subject of the 2025 edition of the highly prestigious UEFA Europa League Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, this will be a meeting between two previous winners of this famous competition.

Past Wins

Starting with Tottenham, they have won the Europa League on two occasions, having done so back in 1972 and 1984. The first final saw the North London outfit take on fellow English outfit Wolves over two legs, beating them 3 – 2 on aggregate. The first leg took place at Molineux, whilst the second took place at White Hart Lane.

As for the triumph in 1984, Spurs were able to go head to head with Belgian Giants Anderlecht, who they were able to beat 4 – 3 on penalties after the two sides had drawn 2 – 2 with each other over two legs.

Moving on to Manchester United, their first and so far only UEFA Europa League triumph came back in 2017, when they came face to face with Dutch Giants Ajax, who they were able to beat 2 – 0 at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.

Routes to the Final

Now, we are going to take a look at how both United and Spurs made it all the way to the 2025 UEFA Europa League Final.

Starting with the aforementioned Tottenham Hotspur, they finished up in 4th place after having earnt a grand total of no less than 17 points from their 8 matches in total. They secured as many as five victories during this stage of the competition, beating the likes of Qarabag (3 – 0), Ferencvaros (1 – 2), AZ Alkmaar (1 – 0), Hoffenheim (2 – 3) and Elfsborg.

These results and the top eight finish led Spurs to successfully qualify for the Round of 16, where they were to take on AZ Alkmaar once again, this time over two legs in a knockout tie. Tottenham were beaten 1 – 0 away from home in the first leg, before goals from Wilson Odobert (26’, 74’) and James Maddison (48’) sealed a 3 – 1 win on the night and a 3 – 2 victory on aggregate to seal their place in the Quarter Finals.

In the Quarter Finals, Tottenham took on a German outfit in the form of Dino Topmöller’s Eintracht Frankfurt side. Spurs drew 1 – 1 with Die Adler (The Eagles) at home in the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, before they were able to secure what was a 2 – 1 aggregate victory when a winning goal at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany. It was Dominic Solanke who scored this all important goal from the penalty spot (43’).

Then came the Semi Finals, where Tottenham went face to face with Norwegian Club Bodø/Glimt over the two legs, which were both won by Tottenham Hotspur for what was an emphatic 5 – 1 aggregate victory. The first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium saw the home side win 3 – 1 on the night thanks to goals from the likes of Brennan Johnson (1’), James Maddison (34’), and Dominic Solanke, who scored his goal from the penalty spot just midway through the second half of this match (61’).

In the second leg away from home at Aspmyra, Spurs comfortably won 2 – 1 in Norway, following the goals from the aforementioned Solanke (63’) and through the Lilywhites’ Spanish right back Pedro Porro just moments after the opener had been scored (69’).

Moving on to United, the Red Devils finished slightly higher up than Spurs, finishing one place higher in third place in the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League’s League Phase table with 18 points from their 8 matches at this stage.

The Red Devils got themselves a total of 5 wins, just like Spurs, after having been able to beat the likes of Greece’s PAOK (2 – 0), Norway’s Bodø/Glimt (3 – 2), the Czech Republic’s Viktoria Plzeň (1 – 2), Scotland’s Rangers (2 – 1), and finally Romania’s Steaua Bucharest (0 – 2).

Then in the Round of 16, it was Spain’s Real Sociedad of La Liga in the Europa League Round of 16 over two legs. In the first at the REALE Arena in San Sebastian, it was to be a game that ended on level terms at 1 – 1.

In the second leg, Ruben Amorim and his Red Devils side were able to emphatically and comfortably beat Sociedad 4 – 1 at Old Trafford thanks to some goals from the likes of Bruno Fernandes (16’ – Penalty, 50’ – Penalty), and Diogo Dalot, (90+1’) with the former scoring what was a crucial and dramatic hat-trick. So it was, in the end, a very comfortable and deserved 5 – 2 victory on aggregate overall. Mikel Oyarzabal scored what was the only goal for Real Sociedad last night in just ten minutes in the first half from the penalty spot in order to give his side the crucial lead (10’).

Then came the Quarter Finals, where French Ligue 1 Club Lyon stood in their way. In the first leg in France finish level at 2 – 2. In the second leg, it was a match that was both sensational and highly intense in what was an epic 5 – 4 victory against Lyon thanks to goals from the likes of Manuel Ugarte (10’), Diogo Dalot (45+1’), Bruno Fernandes (114’ – Penalty), Kobbie Mainoo (120’), and finally Harry Maguire (120+1).

The away side did manage to still score four goals, doing it through Corentin Tolisso (71’), Nicolas Tagliafico (78’), Rayan Cherki (105’), and finally Alexandre Lacazette who scored from the penalty spot (110’).

This now led them to the Semi Finals, when United took on Athletic Club, who call the host venue for the 2025 UEFA Europa League home, San Mames, their home. In the first leg in Spain, it was to be an emphatic 3 – 0 victory against Athletic Club, with Manchester United scoring their goals thanks to efforts from the likes of Casemiro (30’) and Bruno Fernandes (37’ – Penalty, 45’), with the latter scoring a brace on the night.

In the second leg, Manchester United were able to seal what was a comfortable and thoroughly deserved 7 – 1 aggregate victory against Athletic Club Bilbao at Old Trafford after the Red Devils were able to beat their Spanish counterparts 4 – 1 thanks to goals from Mason Mount (72’, 90+1’), Casemiro (80’), and Rasmus Højlund (85’).

Now we have come to the final of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League competition, with the final set to take place at the famous and historic San Mames Stadium located in Bilbao, Spain on Wednesday evening, with the kick-off taking place at 8pm (UK Time). All eyes will be on who wins the battle of the two Premier League sides as they both look to not only get their hands on some silverware, but also get their hands on a much coveted place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

There is no better way to watch world-class football than with an Eventmasters VIP Hospitality Package. Book now to avoid disappointment!