Our Bet Builder tips for Wednesday's Europa League final include a win for Manchester United and a starring role for Bruno Fernandes.
Two Premier League teams that have endured torrid domestic seasons lock horns in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday night as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United compete to add a silver lining to the otherwise storm-black cloud lingering over their 2024/25 campaigns.
With Champions League qualification, as well as the trophy on the line, a win at the San Mames would have a significant impact on both sides’ summer transfer plans, but neither Tottenham or Manchester United head to Spain with the wind in their sails.
Best bets
Manchester United to lift the trophy 31/40
Bruno Fernandes to score anytime 11/5
Rodrigo Bentancur to be shown a card 13/8
Manuel Ugarte to be shown a card 11/8
Fernandes can spur Red Devils to the trophy in Bilbao
Tottenham Hotspur have not lifted a major trophy since the 2007/08 League Cup, and their lengthy wait could be extended when they face a Manchester United side with plenty of big-game experience in their ranks.
Ruben Amorim can call upon the experience of five-time Champions League winner Casemiro, while the likes of Manuel Ugarte and Noussair Mazraoui enjoyed trophy hauls with PSG and Bayern Munich, and many of the current squad were involved when the Red Devils defied the odds to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final last year.
With form not on the side of either of these teams, this composure under pressure could be a key factor at the San Mames, and Manchester United can draw further confidence from their navigation of a tough run to the final.
They have eliminated Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, and Lyon in the last three rounds and have not lost any of their 14 Europa League ties, scoring 35 goals in the process. They face an injury-hit Tottenham side who are without two key attackers in Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison.
If any player can spur Manchester United to victory, it’s Bruno Fernandes. The club captain has been the one positive in an otherwise dreadful season, scoring 19 goals and assisting 19 more in all competitions.
Seven of his goals have been scored in the Europa League, leaving him as the joint-top scorer heading into the final. Six of those have been notched in the knockout stages, including two at this stadium when his side visited Athletic Bilbao in the semi-final, so back him to make a difference on his return to the San Mames.
Uruguayan duo to get on the wrong side of the referee
Two players who could attract more unwanted attention are the Uruguayan midfield duo of Rodrigo Bentancur and Manuel Ugarte, who will line up on opposite sides of the pitch on Wednesday.
They have amassed a massive 28 yellow cards between them this season and there is every chance the fiery pair could clash with one another in Bilbao.
Bentancur has been booked in two of his last five starts for Tottenham, while Ugarte has four cautions in his last 10 United appearances – referee Felix Zwayer could, therefore, have his hands full with the Uruguayans.
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