Manchester United will play in the UEFA Europa League Final next week against Tottenham Hotspur, a match that has been built up because of the historically poor domestic campaigns for both clubs. Both teams are hovering above the relegation zone, and in seasons past may have been in considerably more danger of dropping.
For United in particular, the discourse has revolved around the definition of success. By the club’s lofty standards, in a vacuum, even being in the Europa League could be considered a failure. Many fans still remember the days of Sir Alex Ferguson when reaching the Champions League final was the goal each season.
Now, we have to be realistic. Of course winning the Europa League will help the club materially through Champions League qualification and the additional television money to help the club fund a much-needed rebuild.
But I want you to forget about all of that for a moment. Do the impossible in this day and age of football and forget about the finances for a second.
What would winning the competition this year mean to you as a supporter? Is simply winning trophies and creating memorable moments enough? Are you able to separate your judgment of the team’s season from the material value of winning these days?
What are these moments worth to you? What did it mean to watch the Lyon win or the overwhelming of Bilbao? Do you still remember or value earlier moments in the competition?
Let us know what you think, and what watching a victory or a defeat in the final next week would mean.