When the final whistle blew and Tottenham players ran around, not knowing where to go or what to do, Ange Postecoglou remained calm and hugged his staff. The Australian strategist even walked up to shake hands with Ruben Amorim, then quietly attended the celebration.
In the end, Postecoglou saw things first. "I always win the title in my second year," he said after last September's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. It was a haunting comment for Postecoglou throughout his poor Premier League campaign, but the Europa League has always been hopeful.
Postecoglou is determined that Spurs can still do something special, even as losses increase to a club record. And now they have done it. Not beautiful but what is the importance of that? The 17-year wait for the title has ended. A place in the Champions League is theirs.
This is a victory built on practicalism. Postecoglou's dedication to his style of play was almost uncomfortable at the beginning of his tenure at Spurs.
"It's just us, guys," he said after the 1-4 loss to Chelsea, when Tottenham's defence was still pushing up despite only having nine men on the pitch.
But Postecoglou has adapted to the Europa League campaign, going through the knockout round in a completely different style. Less possession and more focus on fitness. That helped the "Roosters" beat AZ Alkmaar, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt. In the end, it also helped them overcome Man United.
"In knockout matches, you have to have a really clear plan. Big matches depend on the moments. You have to limit the opponent's moments. You have to change your approach. The players have accepted that," said the Australian.
At half-time in Bilbao, Spurs had just 37% possession. By the end of the half, that number had even dropped to 27%. Brennan Johnson's goal was one of Spurs' only three shots. However, right after Johnson scored, Tottenham were almost unable to lose.
Every solving, every tackle was cheered by Spurs fans. A catch from goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was also praised as a goal just before the end of the first half. And Tottenham continued to play in the same style in the second half.
Of course, Postecoglou's approach to the final was partly due to circumstances. James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall - their three rich technical players - are all absent due to injury. His pre-match shares have revealed that.
"It's disappointing to lose guys like Maddison, Kulusevski and Bergvall because they are very creative. But I think we will need a lot of strength and running tonight" - the 59-year-old captain said.
This is never a match for creativity and freedom. This is a battle that needs to be won. Postecoglou has chosen his squad appropriately, trusting Richarlison instead of Son Heung-min on the left wing. Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma also appeared in midfield.
Postecoglou spoke about the importance of the collective over the individual before the match and clearly this message has reached the players. They showed their unity in their pre-match statements and did the same on the pitch.
Postecoglou has rotated the squad in the Premier League, in contrast to Amorim, who has deployed a almost strong lineup in recent matches. And the results in Bilbao have shown that the Australian captain was the right decision.
Spurs are struggling with history as well as a Man United team with a strong record in the finals. They haven't even scored in their last three finals, let alone won. But Postecoglou's players do not seem to be bothered by the past.
Instead, they focus on the task ahead. Spurs maintain their form and keep their spirit. They controlled the game intelligently, breaking Man United's game in the second half.
Amorim's side had few clear chances, with their 16 shots yielding just 0.85 expected goals as Spurs defended cautiously in the box. They have continuously pushed Man United into areas where they cannot be dangerous.
"We will participate in the Champions League next season. And my thinking is to try to build a team that can succeed in about 4-6 years. Of course, whether I continue to stick with the team or not depends on the board.
The only thing that can change this club is a win. Not having achieved for more than a decade really makes people worried, but now everything is different. The first trophy in 17 years could profoundly change Tottenham" - Postecoglou shared.
