Italian internationals Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie have won the Europa League trophy with Tottenham Hotspur, after their team defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the final match held in Bilbao. This triumph also ensures Tottenham`s qualification for the upcoming Champions League season.
Following Atalanta`s success in the tournament the previous year with a 3-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen, Spurs now take the mantle. The victory marks the end of Tottenham`s considerable wait for silverware, particularly in European competition, where their last trophy dates back to 1984.
Tottenham`s starting eleven for the final featured two Azzurri players, Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie. They were joined by former Serie A players Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur. Manchester United`s squad also included several players with previous experience in Italian football, such as Andre Onana, Bruno Fernandes, Patrick Dorgu, Rasmus Hojlund, and Amad Diallo.
The decisive moment arrived just before halftime. Brennan Johnson met a Pape Sarr cross at the near post, sliding in. The ball then ricocheted off Luke Shaw and surprisingly found its way past Andre Onana from very close range, breaking the deadlock.
Manchester United believed they had found an equalizer in the 68th minute. After Vicario fumbled a free kick following a collision with his own teammate, former Atalanta striker Hojlund headed the ball towards what seemed like an open net. However, Micky van de Ven produced a spectacular and acrobatic goal-line clearance to keep Spurs ahead.
Manchester United continued to press; Bruno Fernandes sent a diving header wide, and Vicario had to get down sharply to push away an angled drive from Alejandro Garnacho.
In the final moments of stoppage time, Vicario made another crucial intervention, pulling off a fantastic save to deny a header from Shaw right on the goal line, ensuring Tottenham held on for the 1-0 win and secured the trophy.
Final Score: Tottenham 1-0 Manchester United
