Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up for a massive clash in the Europa League final set to take place in Bilbao on May 21, with a Champions League spot at stake for the winner. While the anticipation around the showdown is intense, former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has stirred controversy by arguing that neither club should be rewarded with a place in next season’s Champions League, regardless of the outcome.
Both sides have already taken significant steps toward the final, with United cruising past Athletic Bilbao with a 3-0 away victory and Spurs defeating Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt 3-1. Under UEFA’s 2014 regulation, the Europa League winner secures automatic qualification for the Champions League, but Wenger is challenging the fairness of this policy, particularly for clubs underperforming in their domestic leagues.
Currently, Manchester United sit 15th and Tottenham 16th in the Premier League table, with no chance of qualifying for Europe through league position. Wenger voiced his disapproval during an interview with BeIN Sports, stressing that while Europa League winners should be rewarded, it should not be with Champions League entry—especially from a league like the Premier League that already allows five clubs into the competition. He questioned whether granting such a reward to clubs with disappointing domestic campaigns truly upholds the spirit of elite European competition.
Despite Wenger’s concerns, UEFA’s rule change was initially designed to enhance the prestige and competitiveness of the Europa League by offering a high-stakes incentive. Still, Wenger insists the policy needs a rethink to maintain the integrity of European qualification. He acknowledged that while some argue the Champions League prize keeps teams motivated in the Europa League, he remains unconvinced it’s the right approach.
Historically, no team has won the Europa League from a league position lower than 12th. United previously triumphed in the competition under José Mourinho in 2017, securing Champions League qualification despite a sixth-place league finish. This season, Ruben Amorim has taken the reins at United, and despite a poor domestic run that includes 16 league defeats, he has shifted the club’s focus entirely toward European success. He admitted after a 4-3 loss to Brentford that the Europa League now represents their only meaningful target.
Similarly, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is eyeing the club’s first major trophy since 2008, putting everything on the line for European glory. With both teams battling poor form at home but pushing hard in Europe, the final is shaping up to be both dramatic and controversial. As the football world watches closely, questions linger over whether victory in Bilbao should really be a golden ticket to Europe’s elite competition.
