Tottenham in particular has yet to taste the joy of a title since 2008 when they won the League Cup. So to say that they have won something… United have certainly won everything, but they are certainly far from the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. In any case, the question is what the two teams will do in their crucial game today.

Tottenham coach Angelos Postecoglou, a Greek-Australian, stressed in a press conference that he is close to leading his team to a major title that has been missing for years. While he proudly referred to his Greek roots, speaking in Greek among other things.

“No, I don’t think my work is done here. I will tell you one thing, regardless of the result in the final, I am not a clown and I never will be. I have tried as hard as I could to follow this process so that the club can reach a position where it can claim trophies and at the same time renew the team and change the style of play. It has been a difficult mission with many challenges along the way. With such an important match tomorrow, there is an opportunity to fulfill at least the main task assigned to me, which was to bring trophies to the club.

I am disappointed that you used a term to describe a person who for 26 years, without favors from anyone, worked to lead a club to a European final”, emphasized Postecoglou, among other things, to continue meaningfully.

I was born in Greece

“I was born in Greece, I am a very proud Greek. My father made sure that I understood where our roots were and what it means to be Greek and I carried that with me all my life.

I grew up in Australia, on the other side of the world, where football was not a major sport but my father brought his love of football from Greece to Australia.

Both my mum and dad worked very hard, they left their country and everything they knew for their children and for me. I hold that very dear to my heart. They are not with me today, but they are with me all the time, so I feel very strongly. I love being Greek.

I love growing up in Greece, I think that is where I will retire one day, and I love growing up in Australia - a country where football was not a big sport - but when you grow up in Australia you have the view that, in terms of "In sports, you will face anyone, no matter how big or small they are.

I am proud of both my Greek and Australian roots," Postecoglou concluded at one point, speaking in English, before responding in Greek: "Thank you for the question, I am very proud to be Greek."



Rubén Amorim

For his part, Portuguese Ruben Amorim referred to the great importance of winning the Europa League for Manchester United, to make it clear that the club can be competitive even without the money from the UEFA Champions League.

“A title will help us in the way we finish the season and many people will see our team in a different light because winning a European trophy is something really important.

I repeat that our season is not going to change, just a European title can help us have a feeling that will help us build our future.

We still have a lot to do in our club, one victory is not enough but this will be of great importance for us and the fans. I know that in a club like Manchester United things are strange, because there are coaches who lose some games and get fired. It is difficult for anyone to give an explanation.

I think that people see what we are trying to do. They see that sometimes I think more about the club than myself”, the Portuguese coach emphasized, and added:

“Our club has income and can do without the Champions League. It is a huge club with fans all over the world, the brand is huge. We have to be focused and do our job. I don't just play for myself but for more. I coach for my players, my staff and our fans”.

Bruno Fernandes

United's Portuguese international midfielder Bruno Fernandes stressed: “We want to be at the top everywhere. Not just in the Europa League, not just in the Premier League, we want to be at the top in the FA Cup, in the League Cup. This club has to fight for every title.”

Harry Maguire was also present at the same press conference, with the England full-back being asked how he managed to survive a highly toxic atmosphere and regain his place in the team and giving the following disarming answer:

“It's amazing to be back in the team and playing regularly. I've played enough this year. I don't pay much attention to the praise from the media and things like that. When you play for this club you can be a fantastic footballer and the next week you can be a scoundrel. That's part of playing for this club. I try to give my best in every match.”

Draconian measures - 3,000 police officers

Meanwhile, Bilbao authorities, expecting 50,000 English fans, have prepared as best they can, fearing any incidents if they get drunk.

Spanish authorities have reinforced Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames stadium, located in the city center, with a three-meter-high fence and strict security measures.

Municipal services in Bilbao, including traffic, cleaning and security, have been significantly disrupted due to the extensive plans put in place to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the match, as announced by Bilbao City Council.

More than 3,000 police officers will be deployed in the city and will oversee three security zones around the stadium, limiting access to only ticket holders and local residents since Wednesday morning.

In addition, “fan zones” equipped with giant screens, entertainment and more than 60,000 liters of beer have been set up outside the city center to lure fans without match tickets away from the security perimeter.

Border checks have been stepped up by Spain’s national police. The airport expects to handle three times the usual number of flights this week, including 174 private jets between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Each team has received almost 15,000 match tickets for its fans, with the rest being given to UEFA sponsors or already secured by neutral teams.



To minimize the risk of incidents, the two groups of fans will remain in separate areas, 2.5 kilometers apart, before the start of the match.