Courtesy: UEFA
Manchester United lost the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final with a 1-0 scoreline against Tottenham Hotspur at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, not only among the fans, but also the club’s former players and ownership hierarchy present at the venue. On the other side, Tottenham Hotspur ended their 17-year trophy drought in style with a first half goal from Brennan Johnson, winning the UEL for the third time in their illustrious history.
Ahead of the all-important final of the UEL, which also had the UEFA Champions League (UCL) qualification for the next season on the line, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur sounded quietly confident about their chances. These two teams headed into the final just above the relegation zone in the Premier League, their domestic club football competition, which is why there was a lot at stake in Bilbao.
The final was quite a pulsating affair especially in the first half with not many clear cut chances for either team, but in the 42nd minute, Tottenham Hotspur scraped the ball into the back of the net via Brennan Johnson, to take the massive 1-0 lead. From that point onwards, Manchester United kept pushing the Tottenham Hotspur defence on the backfoot, but they were unable to break the deadlock, which meant that the North London club got their hands on the first major trophy in 17 years.
I will not quit. I am really confident in my job: Ruben Amorim after UEL final defeat
After collecting the UEL loser’s medal along with his players, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim addressed the speculation about his future at the club, stating that he won’t quit, but at the same time, he won’t mind leaving if the board and fans don’t want him there. He was quoted as saying, as per BBC Sport, “I am always open. If the board and fans feel I am not the right guy, I will go in the next day without any conversation about compensation. But I will not quit. I am really confident in my job. And as you see, I will not change anything in the way I do things.”
Manchester United will play their final match of the season against Aston Villa at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday, May 25, and the fan reaction will tell a lot about how club faithfuls perceive Ruben Amorim after the UEL final defeat.
