Both Manchester United and Tottenham have struggled mightily in the Premier League this season. However, both teams still have a chance to salvage their season in Bilbao, Spain. A chance for European silverware is at stake as these two struggling sides will clash in the Europa League final.
The winner will not only receive the second most prestigious European trophy, but they will earn a spot in next year’s Champions League. On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Red Devils are slight favorites to lift the cup at -135 while Tottenham is currently listed at +105.
Below is my favorite bet for this year’s final which will take place on May 21st at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.
As mentioned, both teams have had abysmal seasons domestically.
In the Premier League, Tottenham sit one spot ahead of the relegation places in 17th. Manchester United is not doing much better just one point ahead of Spurs in 16th.
However things have been a little different in Europe for these sides this season. Manchester United are undefeated in this season’s Europa League, while Tottenham has won nine of their fourteen games in this competition. At the start of the campaign, Manchester United were +500 to lift the cup, while Tottenham’s odds were +450 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
In this year’s final, I will be taking Manchester United to win the cup at -135 odds. Between the magical comeback against Lyon in the quarterfinal and the domination against Athletic Club in the semifinal, there seems to be something special in the air for the Red Devils in Europe this season.
They have scored the most goals in this year’s competition (35), and eight more than Spurs. United also has the most total shot attempts and shots on target. Their 35 goals in 14 matches comes out to 2.5 per game, so Tottenham will certainly have their hands full defensively.
Another factor in this is the psychology. Tottenham have not won a trophy since 2008 and will have the weight of the world on their shoulders in this one. This game is massive for both clubs, no doubt. But for Spurs, it’s the thought of silverware that excites them.
For the Red Devils, picking up another Europa League would be nice. However, the financial reward that comes along with getting into the Champions League will be the apple of their eye. Despite struggling in recent seasons, United have picked up a trophy in each of the last two years, and I think they will do the same in 2025.
Expect them to play much more carefree than Tottenham, whose manager will likely be sacked if they lose. This game has been 17 years in the making for Tottenham, and ultimately I think the weight of that could have a negative effect on their performance.
There should be plenty of goals in this game, so expect an action packed back and forth match between two sides fighting for European glory.
