After such an exciting Europa League journey, Manchester United lost the final with a whimper.
Ruben Amorim will be reliving the disappointment in Bilbao over and over again in his head during the summer, wondering what he could have done differently.
The answer to that question, is that there is a whole lot which could have been changed in the way Manchester United approached and lined up for the Europa League final.
United lost the final to Spurs 1-0, in what was one of the worst European finals in a long time in terms of quality and attacking football.
Amorim made several mistakes leading to United’s defeat, while his players certainly did him no favours with their lacklustre and timid performances.
However, Amorim might have made the biggest error of all before a ball had even been kicked at the San Mames.
Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Photo by Michael Regan – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
What Ruben Amorim said about the Europa League final pre-game
While it is a massive deflating blow for United losing the final in that manner, winning the trophy was never going to make amends for the past 10 months.
Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo ahead of the game, Amorim admitted this, explaining that for United, the Europa League is not important.
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“When I say that it’s [Europa League] not the most important thing in our club, I really mean it.
“If you win the Europa League with Manchester United, I’m really sorry, but it’s not a big thing.
“You need to go for the Premier League and Champions League, and we are so far away. That is my feeling that winning a European final is not enough, and I have that feeling all the time.”
"If you win Europa League at Manchester United, i'm sorry but it's not a big thing. You need to go for Premier League and #UCL." 👀
A candid Ruben Amorim talks with @GuillemBalague ahead of Man Utd's #UEL final matchup ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/uYsVk2x5jY
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 20, 2025
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While this is true, as United have higher aspirations over the coming years with Ineos planning a title charge in 2028, it won’t have set the team up for success.
Manchester United players may have been affected by Ruben Amorim’s admission
When preparing for a final, the last thing this group of underperforming players needed to hear was that the Europa League doesn’t really matter.
This statement could have demotivated the squad, making their work in the campaign seem pointless, and on the pitch during the game, it showed.
Tottenham were first to every ball, won more duels, and were running a lot more than United players were, which saw the Red Devils struggle to really trouble the North London side.
Put simply, Spurs wanted it more, and Amorim’s comments will have played a role in this.
Amorim shot himself in the foot, and it is a decision and rhetoric which shouldn’t be repeated, serving little purpose, considering where United are right now, winning the Europa League would have been huge.