Manchester United face Tottenham in the Europa League final and for one player they will hope it’s third time lucky.
There is huge pressure on Ruben Amorim to win the Europa League final given that Manchester United’s Premier League campaign has been miserable.
The golden ticket to Champions League qualification is beating Tottenham in Bilbao next week, but defeat risks ruining United’s summer budget and transfer plans.
Amorim has begun preparing for the final, but he has a few selection headaches before he names his starting XI against Spurs.
One player who feels destined to start is Amad Diallo, who has been in great form since returning from injury.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Amad Diallo has lost two Europa League finals
Amad Diallo is one of United’s five best Europa League performers this season with two goals and one assist across his 10 appearances in the competition this season.
Amad starred in the semi-final against Athletic Club and will be hoping for a starting spot in the final. In his two previous Europa League finals, he has not played a single minute of football.
United lost the 2021 Europa League final under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when they suffered a penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal.
More United News
In that match, Amad was named on the bench for the 2021 final and he remained an unused substitute as United fell short.
A year later, Amad was loaned out to Rangers and he endured a fairly underwhelming spell at the Scottish side.
However, under manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rangers reached the 2022 Europa League final and once again Amad was named on the bench.
Rangers ended up losing on penalties to Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht Frankfurt and Amad was an unused substitute.
Third time lucky for Amad Diallo
On paper, Amad has a poor record in European finals but he hasn’t yet had a chance to make an impact.
However, Amorim is a huge admirer of Amad, and the 22-year-old has returned to form and fitness just in time to star in the final.
Amad made a miraculous recovery from an injury that initially seemed to rule him out for the remainder of the season.
Now he’s back in the team, he will be one of United’s danger men who could make the difference against Tottenham.
READ MORE: Amad names two ‘hardest’ trainers at Man Utd after Leny Yoro’s ‘crazy’ personality and difficult to defend claim
When United lost 4-3 to Tottenham in the League Cup earlier this season, Amad came off the bench for the final 35 minutes and managed to score and assist in his short cameo.
He will hope for a similar impact in the final next week.