This season's UEFA Europa League, with the participation of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the final, is an interesting story.
Normally, this will be considered another example of the superior strength of English football with a depth compared to other major European powers. Instead, the story before the match is about how poor both teams have been this season. With one remaining match of the domestic season, the two teams are currently in 16th and 17th place, right above the relegation positions.
However, Ruben Amorim's Man United or Ange Postecoglou's Spurs will still be present in the UEFA Champions League next season if they win the Europa League. The final will take place at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao (Spain).
Tottenham have beaten Man United three times this season - both at home and away in the Premier League, as well as winning a thrilling match with 7 goals in the Carabao Cup. However, those results are nothing compared to the results of a European Cup final.
Neither Man United nor Spurs should be in the bottom half of the Premier League table with the money they have spent. It is unbelievable that both teams are hanging in the relegation zone. Tottenham's decline in the league is even more obvious.
They finished fifth in the Premier League last season, two points behind Champions League sides and three places ahead of Man United. However, they have lost more than half of their Premier League games this season.
The money the Red Devils have spent to upgrade their squad has made their Premier League form even more impressive. They have invested nearly £400 million in new players in just the past two years.
Of course, it will not be easy to face injuries and coaching changes in the middle of the season (when Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag). But there is absolutely no reason for such a large club to be 16th in the rankings. Remember, Liverpool have never finished below 8th in the Premier League era.
Man United have been playing so badly that it's funny, while Spurs' season has been worse because there's no doubt around their coach last summer.
While Man United are looking to replace Ten Hag, Spurs have looked forward to a positive campaign under Postecoglou. They spent around £65m to sign striker Dominic Solanke and of course, Postecoglou has always had a habit of winning titles in his second season.
Postecoglou could not understand the anger caused by his comments, saying that he could not do anything other than tell the truth. However, the source of the surprise was not that Postecoglou presented a truth. Instead, it is his "invention", because we should remember that Spurs have not won any titles since 2008.
Finally, given what is coming in Bilbao, any team that loses in the final will have its worst season. Man United and Tottenham can both confirm that this campaign is a success if they win the title at the end of the season. It is not an exaggeration to say that one of the two teams will find salvation in Spain.
The match between Tottenham and Man United takes place at 2:00 am on May 22 (Vietnam time).
