What 'no way' has finally become a reality.
Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, which are ranked first and second in the support of domestic overseas soccer fans, will eventually clash on the UEFA Europa League final stage in the 2024-2025 season.
Coincidentally, the two teams are fiercely competing at the bottom of the remaining ranks in the English Premier League (EPL). The end-of-life game with pride is already attracting extraordinary attention.
The winning side gets on the train to heaven for the UEFA Champions next season. But the losing side is boarding a direct train to hell. It can be said that the replacement of the coach is almost a basic option. It's a final, but it's also worth calling it a 'message match'.
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Tottenham and Manchester United each won the second round of the Europa League semifinals at 4 a.m. on the 9th (Korea time), confirming their progress to the final. Tottenham faced Bohd/Glimt at Aspmira Stadium in Norlan Bohd, Norway. At the same time, Manchester United played the second leg of the semifinals against Athletic Bilbao of Spain at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, which is their home stadium.
Tottenham and Manchester United both won.
Tottenham won the final ticket with a 2-0 victory despite Son Heung-min missing seven consecutive games due to a foot injury. Due to the unfamiliar environment of the enemy, especially artificial turf and cold weather, Tottenham did not use its strength in the first half. Coach Enze Postecoglou used a thorough defensive tactic. Since they have already won the first round 3-1 in the second round, they will reach the final even if they lose by one goal.
In addition, Son Heung-min, James Madison, and Lucas Beribal were all injured, so there was no reason to overdo it. As Postecoglou planned, Tottenham finished 0-0 in the first half, making a bogey/Glimt and a whistle.
Then he hit a fatal blow in the second half. In the 18th minute of the second half, Dominic Solanke pushed a ball into the box that Christian Romero dropped with his head from a corner kick. In the 24th minute of the second half, Pedro Porro's cross from the right went straight into the goal. It was a lucky goal. In the end, Tottenham reached the final 5-1 in total in the first and second games.
Manchester United won a hotter victory. Manchester United allowed the first goal in the 31st minute of the first half, finishing 0-1 in the first half. However, in the 26th minute of the second half, Mason Mount's equalizer came out and the scoring opened. Following Casemiro's header reverse goal in the 34th minute of the second half, Hoyleun's net goal in the 40th minute of the second half came out. Mount, who scored the equalizer, added one more goal in second-half stoppage time to complete a 4-1 victory.
Manchester United, which also won 3-0 in the first game, reached the final with a combined score of 7-1. A historic 'Manchester United-Tottenham final match' was made. The two teams will play the final round at 4 a.m. on the 22nd at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain.
Since the mid-2000s, Manchester United has dominated the soccer fans in Korea due to Park Ji-sung. Park Ji-sung has been a key member of Manchester United for seven years from 2005 to 2012, raising the status of Korean soccer. Son Heung-min, who grew up watching Park Ji-sung's performance, joined Tottenham in 2015 and was reborn as a 'legend'.
Although Son Heung-min has never won a career championship, he has been active as a 'Tottenham legend', winning the 'EPL top scorer' that Park Ji-sung failed to do. Due to Son Heung-min, Tottenham also became a team that was greatly loved by Korean fans. It is not easy to distinguish the superiority and inferiority of Manchester United's fandom and Tottenham's fandom. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that their interest in the final is hotter than the Champions League.
The biggest concern is whether Son Heung-min, who missed seven consecutive games until the second leg of the semifinals due to a foot injury, will be able to return to the final stage. Son Heung-min actually had the last chance to win at Tottenham. He definitely wants to lift the trophy with his own power.
Tottenham also needs Son Heung-min to return because Madison and Beribal are missing. Tottenham will try to win again for the first time in 17 years after winning the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
