Three English clubs booked their passage into two European finals on Thursday night as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur advanced into the UEFA Europa League showpiece and Chelsea made it to the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
While United defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-1 at Old Trafford to complete a 7-1 aggregate rout, Spurs beat Bodoe/Glimt 2-0 in Norway to prevail 5-1 on aggregate. Chelsea overcame Djurgarden 1-0 at Stamford Bridge for a 5-1 victory in total.
At Old Trafford, Manchester United shrugged off a sloppy start as Mason Mount produced a brilliant second half brace.
Tormented by a succession of injuries that have limited him to just 10 English Premier League starts since his £55m move from Chelsea in 2023, Mount had only been on the pitch 10 minutes when he turned onto Leny Yoro’s short pass inside the Bilbao penalty box and arrowed the ball into the far corner.
But there was more to come from the England midfielder.
After Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund had steered United into a comfortable 3-1 lead, Mount pounced on a loose ball 45 yards out and floated a superb shot into an empty net.
The goal capped a memorable Old Trafford night although the final outcome was harsh on the Spanish visitors, who were the better side for long periods and led at half-time thanks to Mikel Jauregizar’s magnificent 30-yard effort.
Tottenham will face Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21 after the London side cruised past Bodoe/Glimt to stay in the hunt for a first European title in 41 years.
Ange Postecoglou’s men navigated a tricky semi-final second leg in Norway to reach their sixth European final — and first since the 2019 UEFA Champions League final.
Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro struck in the second half to seal a 5-1 aggregate success and confirm an all-English showdown with United.
Spurs’ trophy drought stretches to a League Cup triumph in 2008, but further back to 1984 in Europe when they won the UEFA Cup.
Chelsea, on their part, made 10 changes from Sunday’s win over Premier League champions Liverpool and handed a first senior start for 16-year-old Reggie Walsh.
The Blues hardly broke a sweat to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory against the Swedish visitors and will meet either Fiorentina or Real Betis in the title clash to be played in the Polish city of Wroclaw on May 28.
Having won the first leg in Sweden 4-1 last week, Enzo Maresca’s side increased their advantage when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall picked out the bottom corner from just inside the box after being played through by Tyrique George.
It will be the eighth European final in Chelsea’s history and a first since edging Manchester City 1-0 to win the Champions League in 2021 under current England manager Thomas Tuchel.
And for their current boss Maresca, it will be a chance to secure a first trophy — not only of his Blues reign but also the club’s during the post-Roman Abramovich era.
