Ruben Amorim heard the final whistle, caught his jacket and headed directly in the tunnel. His immediate feeling of relief had been swallowed by stress before one of the most important games in his managerial career.
Two thousand kilometers away in the Arctic circle, the notoriously short fuse of Tottenham Hotspur, Ange Postcoglou, exploded when Manchester United and how they think that the Europa League was put to it. Stressed too? You bet.
Because what will happen on May 21 in Bilbao is not only the biggest game of their respective seasons, but a match that has the potential to transform – or ruin – in the coming years. The magnitude of the Europa League final is not lost for the two manager.
On the Manchester United side, it is not the money or the possibility of putting another trophy in the cabinet. For Amorim, winning the Europa League is an opportunity to cultivate the conviction that this team can again be transformed into a winning machine.
“Money is not the most important,” he said. “Even to win a title as a coach, it is this feeling, this feeling that we can do with good things.
“The feeling of giving something to our fans, especially in this kind of season. So I agree that it is not only playing the Champions League next season, it is also this feeling that we can change things.
Ruben Amorim (left) and Postcoglou Angel (right) feel the pressure in front of a final
On the side of Tottenham Hotspur of this equation, they head towards Bilbao with huge question points on the manager, missing stars through an injury – the history of their season – and an expectation for a major trophy which dates back to 2008.
It will be the sixth European final of Tottenham, but their first since the loss of the centerpiece of the Champions League against Liverpool in 2019. It’s been 41 years since Tottenham won this competition, then known as UEFA Cup.
More than a culture changer, for Tottenham, it is as much a question of moving the monkey from their back and the nickname “Spursy” of the uprooting of the defeat of the jaws of victory as something else.
“It will upset many people, aren’t it,” said Postcoglou in impactful form in Norway after reaching the final.
“The debate is now raging. The last one is that none of us can get a trophy if we win, they will just take a team photo because we are not worthy.
“I mean, who cares if we are struggling in the league?” This is a distinct thing. It has nothing to do with the shape of the league.
“I don’t care who is hard and who is not. I think we and Manchester United have won the right to be there.
This debate he talks about included the former boss of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, calling on the winners of the Europa League for this season to be stripped of their access to golden tickets to the Champions League. An absurd argument but which created a seat mentality on both sides.
Manchester United is undefeated in Europe this season and helps lift fate and gloom
Tottenham has not won a major trophy since 2008 and must win to show a change of culture
There are championship matches by Bilbao, not that the teams sat 15th and 16th in the Premier League table, worrying too much about them.
The seasons of Manchester United and Tottenham will be summed up at Bilbao one night and while Tottenham beat United three times already this season, Amorim does not suffer from the SSPT before the biggest night of his life as Manchester United in a few weeks.
“Each match is in history,” he said.
“We have lost the last three games so that we can win this one. You look at the chances, we are closer to winning than to lose. The two teams will play everything or nothing in this kind of game.
“The position of the coach is similar! I know that Ange is still a year old and the context is different, but we both have difficulties.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s the right thing and the bad thing with this team. I never know.
Where the situations of Amorim and PostCoglou differ, Amorim will not be deleted on the back of the defeat. No certainty of this type is guaranteed for postcoglou.
“ If Tottenham does not win, he will not be in charge next season, ” said former goalkeeper of Tottenham and England Paul Robinson Bbc Bodo Thursday.
Amorim is well aware of the power that a major trophy may have to obtain membership in its methods
Postcoglou’s work can be in danger if his team releases the second best in Bilbao on May 21
“Angel’s whole Ange Postcoglou and Tottenham’s career depends on this result. You cannot underestimate the size of this game for Tottenham to win the final.
“Football of the Champions League, yes, and the finances that come with it, but not to have to go through an entire restructuring. If they do not win this final, they are back at square one. It’s massive for Tottenham.
Manchester United is desperately needed to skip the reign of Amorim and relieve the growing concerns of the finance department. In Tottenham, it’s D -Day for Postocoglou on his promise to win something during his second season.
No wonder stress has already started.
