Bedlam on Baltic Avenue: 05/01/2025

Paris Saint-Germain: 2024-25 UEFA Champions League Winners

Paris Saint-Germain are the 24th different champions in European Cup history following a record-breaking 5-0 victory over Inter in the UEFA Champions League final in Munich.

Key moments

12': Hakimi turns in from close range

20': Doué rounds off rapid Paris counter

63': Doué drills into the bottom corner

73': Kvaratskhelia finishes low into the net

87': Mayulu smashes in record-breaking fifth

Match in brief: Doué double helps Paris blow Inter away

Inter had trailed for only 17 minutes of their 14-game campaign prior to the final, but it did not take long for them to fall behind on this occasion. Vitinha picked the first lock with a perfectly-weighted pass for Désiré Doué, who in turn showed silky skill to square for Hakimi to convert from close range against his former club.

Ousmane Dembélé provided the silver-service assist on 20 minutes, racing clear down the left before checking back on the edge of the penalty area to locate Doué. The 19-year-old needed one touch with his chest to take control and another with his right foot to fire in a shot which deflected in off Federico Dimarco.

The Nerazzurri settled as the half wore on but had only off-target headers from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram to show for their efforts.

Though there was renewed vigour from Simone Inzaghi's side after the break, it was Les Rouge-et-Bleu who once again had the creative and clinical edge. It was Vitinha's turn to drive decisively from midfield just after the hour, exchanging passes with Dembélé before sliding through for Doué to drill emphatically into the bottom right of the goal.

It was a different corner but the same result ten minutes later, Dembélé laying on his second assist of the night for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who fired low into the net.

Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off a stunning save to keep out Thuram but there was still time for Senny Mayulu to apply the record-breaking flourish. Mayulu, also 19, combined neatly with fellow replacement Bradley Barcola before smashing a powerful strike in off a post. Paris had secured the biggest-ever margin of victory in a European Cup final.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Désiré Doué (Paris)

"Two goals and an assist in a UEFA Champions League final at the age of only 19 is incredible. He played with unbelievable maturity, was very generous in laying up Hakimi for his goal and also worked very hard in defence."

UEFA Technical Observer Group

Alex Clementson, Paris reporter

A commanding first-half performance morphed into one of blissful attacking endeavour in the second. An incisive, inspired showing from Paris, and one which makes history for more reasons than one. It's an occasion that will live long in the memory for those inside this stadium, regardless of allegiance. There have been tears of pain, they're now flowing in joy. Congratulations Paris!

Vieri Capretta, Inter reporter

Paris were impressive throughout, with the Nerazzurri unable to get anywhere near their best level. From beginning to end, Paris were superior technically, physically and tactically. A well-deserved win for Luis Enrique's men.

Reaction

Désiré Doué, Player of the Match: “I have no words. That was just incredible for me, simply incredible."

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Paris goalkeeper: "We were almost out a few times during the season, then we managed to progress and completed an extraordinary season. Our coach gave us the freedom, kept us calm. This is his philosophy. He prepared the final in the best possible way, and we saw that.".

Rio Ferdinand, TNT Sports

"Paris dominated it – they suffocated them and pressed them. From the word go, they pressed the life out of them and they had players that were in killer mode today. It’s an astonishing performance in a game of this magnitude. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such dominance at this stage."

Key stats

Doué and Mayulu are only the third and fourth teenagers to score in a UEFA Champions League final, after Patrick Kluivert in 1995 and Carlos Alberto in 2004.

No team had ever won a European Cup final by more than a four-goal margin prior to this.

Doué is the first player to score twice in a final since Gareth Bale for Real Madrid against Liverpool in 2018, and the eighth to do so in the Champions League era.

Luis Enrique is the seventh coach to win the European Cup with multiple teams, having also guided Barcelona to glory in 2015.

Hakimi is the first Moroccan to score in a European Cup final.

Paris have played 99 Champions League matches since they were involved in a 0-0 draw (vs Real Madrid, 2015/16 group stage).

Inter had trailed for just 17 minutes of their entire 14-game campaign prior to the final.

All four European Cup finals in Munich have produced a first-time winner.

Line-ups

Paris: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes (Hernández 78); João Neves (Zaïre-Emery 84), Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz (Mayulu 84); Kvaratskhelia (Gonçalo Ramos 84), Dembélé, Doué (Barcola 66)

Inter: Sommer; Pavard (Bisseck 53; Darmian 62), Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Hakan Çalhanoglu (Asllani 70), Mkhitaryan (Augusto 62), Dimarco (Zalewski 53); Lautaro Martínez, Thuram

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Chelsea: 2024-25 UEFA Conference League Winners

Chelsea completed their clean sweep of major UEFA men's trophies with a comeback success in the UEFA Conference League final against Real Betis.

Chelsea rallied impressively after conceding first against Real Betis in the 2025 UEFA Conference League final, four second-half goals scooping them the title in Wrocław.

Key moments

9' Ezzalzouli fires Betis in front

13' Jørgensen makes a fine diving save to deny Bartra

21' Badiashile blocks goal-bound Cardoso shot

65' Palmer picks out Fernández for a headed equaliser

71' Jackson finishes from another Palmer assist

83' Substitute Sancho pings in Chelsea's third

90+1' Caicedo adds some gloss with Chelsea's fourth

Match in brief: Chelsea the comeback kings

Taking a high-energy approach from the off, Betis strove to break up Chelsea's play high up the field and were rewarded. After nine minutes, Isco pulled the ball across the box for Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, and the Moroccan took a touch before firing a low shot into the bottom corner of Filip Jørgensen's net.

The goalkeeper was at full stretch to deny Marc Bartra as the Betis No5 tried to catch him off balance with a shot from distance a few minutes later, and Benoît Badiashile delivered a crucial diving interception to block a Johnny Cardoso effort after the busy Ezzalzouli had battled his way into the box to set him up.

Possession stats had Chelsea on 65% at the break, but Enzo Maresca's side had created little in terms of tangible chances, outstretched Betis legs repeatedly stifling their approach play. Captain Reece James came on at half-time, a limping Ezzalzouli was taken off after 53 minutes, and all of a sudden it was Betis who were being hustled off the ball, and looking like a side that had not kept a clean sheet in their previous 11 games.

James thumped a shot straight at defender Natan as Betis struggled to clear a corner, and there was no let-up for Manuel Pellegrini's side, Cole Palmer's splendid lofted ball into the box invited Enzo Fernández to nod the equaliser past the exposed Adrián on 65 minutes, and five minutes later Palmer produced another superb assist, turning a defender and lifting a ball across the box for Nicolas Jackson to force in at the near post.

A wall of green noise throughout, Betis' fans did their best to reinflate their side, but there was no way back. First, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall picked out fellow substitute Jadon Sancho, with the Manchester United loanee calmly curling the ball in from an angle, before the masked Moises Caicedo made it 4-1 in added time with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Laufenn Player of the Match: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Reporter verdict: Simon Hart, Real Betis

Betis’ excellent first-half display, led by the terrific Isco, gave way to a highly disappointing second period when they were overpowered by Chelsea. The loss of the left-sided duo of Ricardo Rodríguez and Ezzalzouli hurt them, in stark contrast to the substitutions which bolstered their opponents. It has been a wonderful campaign for Betis but it ends on a tearful note.

Reporter verdict: Joe Terry, Chelsea

The apprentice has overcome the master. Maresca had a tactical problem in the first half and he solved it by bringing on Reece James, who played a brilliant second half on and off the ball. It's a huge moment for Chelsea, both in terms of the history they've made and their development as an exciting crop of young talented players.

Reaction

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea coach: "We adjusted something tactical at half-time and the second half we were much better. We are very happy. [Winning the Conference League] can be a starting point. To build a winning mentality you need to win games, to win competitions. The trophy we have won tonight is going to make us better."

Cole Palmer, Player of the Match: "We just picked up the intensity and put in a good performance [in the second half]. I was sick of getting the ball and just going backwards and sideways. [For] the first [assist] there was a bit of space and I saw Enzo running. Second one, same again. I feel like we showed good character again to make the comeback."

Manuel Pellegrini, Real Betis coach: "How do the players feel? They are devastated. We couldn't maintain what we did in the first half. We were causing them problems through Abde [Ezzalzouli] but he sprained his ankle and we had to replace him. Still, we should be proud of the way we played and the rest is football."

Adrián, Betis goalkeeper, speaking to TNT Sports: "We lost our composure when we conceded the first goal, then the second one after just five minutes. The team was feeling Chelsea's intensity and the mentality changed. We lost a bit of shape. It's a hard night for us."

Key stats

Chelsea are the first side to win all five of UEFA's men's club competitions, their first Conference League success following two UEFA Champions League triumphs, two in the UEFA Europa League, two in the UEFA Super Cup and two in the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Chelsea's success ends a run of nine straight victories for Spanish sides in UEFA club competition finals against English opponents. Since the start of the 2001/02 season, Spanish sides had won all 23 of the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League finals they featured in until tonight.

The Blues' recent final record is impressive: In their previous seven finals in the Champions League, Europa League and Cup Winners' Cup, the only time they were not successful was in the 2007/08 Champions League when they lost on penalties against Manchester United.

Chelsea are the second English team to win the competition after West Ham in 2022/23. Betis' Pablo Fornals was among the victorious West Ham players in that game in Prague.

Real Betis were playing in their first major UEFA final.

Chelsea have won 11 of their 12 matches in the UEFA Conference League competition proper this season (league phase onwards), the exception being their 2-1 home defeat against Legia in the second leg of the quarter-finals.

Chelsea's total of 42 goals in the UEFA Conference League this season (league phase onwards) is a record for the competition, beating Fiorentina's total of 37 in the 2022/23 season.

Line-ups

Real Betis: Adrián; Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, Ricardo Rodríguez (Perraud 46); Fornals (Altimira 85), Isco, Cardoso (Lo Celso 85); Antony, Bakambu (Aitor Ruibal 72), Ezzalzouli (Jesús Rodríguez 53)

Chelsea: Jørgensen; Gusto (James 46), Chalobah, Badiashile (Colwill 61), Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Madueke, Palmer (Guiu 87), Pedro Neto (Sancho 61); Jackson (Dewsbury-Hall 80)

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Minnesota Frost: 2024-25 PWHL Walter Cup Champions

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Walter Cup is staying in Minnesota and the defending champion Frost once again have Liz Schepers to credit for scoring the championship-clinching goal for a second straight year.

Schepers converted a scramble in front to score 12 minutes into overtime and seal a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Charge to clinch the title in Game 4 of the best-of-five championship series and close the PWHL's second season.

"Hats off to Ottawa. That was a helluva series," Schepers said. "I could not be more proud of our team. It's unbelievable."

All four games of the series were decided by 2-1 scores, and each of them in overtime, including the Frost's triple-OT victory in Game 3 on Saturday. After losing Game 1 in Ottawa, the Frost responded with three straight wins.

Kelly Pannek scored at the 10:10 mark of the second period, giving Minnesota its first lead in regulation of the series. Maddie Rooney stopped 33 shots and finished the playoffs with a 5-0 record.

Katy Knoll, whose overtime goal sealed Game 3, set up the winner by collecting the puck along the end boards and driving behind the net to feed Schepers in the slot. Goaltender Gwyneth Philips parried the first shot, but Schepers poked home the rebound.

"It was just the start of my shift. I knew Katy and Hymla (Klara Hymlarova) were working really hard behind the goal line and just tried to get lost," Schepers said. "They made a great play to the front of the net and I was able to get a couple whacks at it and saw the puck go in. And then I was on my back and the celebration was on."

Schepers, who is from Mound, Minnesota, and played collegiately at Ohio State, was one of 16 Frost players who returned from last year's championship team, and this time got the opportunity to celebrate before their home crowd. Minnesota won the inaugural Walter Cup last year with Schepers scoring the opening goal of a 3-0 win at Boston in Game 5.

"I'll win anywhere. It's always fun," said Frost defenseman Lee Stecklein in a game played in front of an announced crowd of 11,024. "But to get to do it at home is extra special."

And just like last year, the Frost won the title as the fourth and final-seeded playoff team, and both times advanced to the finals after knocking off Toronto in the semis.

Minnesota sneaked into the playoffs this year with an 8-1 win over Boston on the final day of the regular season. The win led to Ottawa, Minnesota and Boston finishing with 44 points each with the Fleet eliminated based on having fewer regulation wins.

"It's the belief we have in the room," Frost captain Kendall Coyne Schofield said of the team's resilience.

"It's hard to put into words," she added. "I think when you look at the way we won, it takes everybody. That was last year, and this year was no different. ... It took every single player stepping up in some way, shape, or form."

The Charge, Canada's first team to reach the finals, forced overtime on Tereza Vanisova's goal with 9:51 left in the third period. It was her first goal of the playoffs and ended an 11-game goal drought.

Philips finished with 36 saves and was won the Ilana Kloss Trophy as playoff MVP. The rookie finished the playoffs with a 4-4 record, with all four losses coming in overtime. She finished with 148 saves in overtime alone, while allowing just 13 goals on 270 shots for a .952 save percentage and 1.23 goals-against average.

"Right now the individual award is superseded by the team loss," Philips said. "We were so close and we really wanted that, but my accomplishments are attributed to the players in front of me. So maybe tomorrow will be nicer, but I really wanted to win."

The rookie from Ohio took over the starting duties after Emerance Maschmeyer was sidelined by a lower body injury in mid-March. Both teams had their chances in the extra period.

Ottawa's Aneta Tejralova, on a rush, hit the left post with a shot about five minutes into overtime and the Frost's Taylor Heise hit the right post about four minutes later.

Both teams face major changes entering the offseason as each of the PWHL's six teams will lose four players in the expansion process -- a signing period followed by an expansion draft -- in early June when Vancouver and Seattle begin building their initial rosters.

"I think that's the toughest part," Charge captain Brianne Jenner said, referring to the upcoming losses. "That was a special run. And it's going to sting for a while, for sure. But really, really proud of this group."

Arsenal: 2024-25 UEFA Women's Champions League Winners

Arsenal defeated Barcelona 1-0 to win the UEFA Women's Champions League final in Lisbon with a goal from Stina Blackstenius seven minutes after she came off the bench.

Barcelona, aiming for a third straight title as they featured in the final for the fifth year in a row, had the majority of the play and the chances. But they could not force a breakthrough and, with 16 minutes left, Beth Mead set up fellow substitute Blackstenius for the goal that sealed victory 18 years on from Arsenal's only previous final, when they won the old UEFA Women's Cup by beating Umeå by the same 1-0 scoreline on aggregate.

Match in brief: Substitutes provide late twist

Arsenal were boosted by goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar being fit, having not appeared since the semi-final second-leg win at Lyon on 27 April, while Chloe Kelly started on the right with Beth Mead on the bench. They looked to start brightly and had the better of the opening ten minutes, but the first real chance fell to Aitana Bonmatí, whose effort was blocked.

However, Arsenal continued to think positively and Frida Maanum let fly from distance, forcing a fingertip save from Cata Coll; Kim Little blazed over following the resultant corner. Aitana was denied by Van Domselaar after a solo run, and Leah Williamson did well to block from ten-goal competition top scorer Clàudia Pina, starting today having come off the bench for Barcelona in the previous three finals.

Having dominated the later stages of the first half, Barcelona kept that up after the interval, with Pina testing Van Domselaar from distance before combining with Aitana and looping the ball via a deflection off Emily Fox onto the top of the crossbar. Alexia Putellas then played into the path of Ona Batlle, who was only just off target from outside the box.

The pressure continued as again Van Domselaar saved from Aitana. Arsenal brought on Mead and Blackstenius, and they almost struck against the run of play as the Swedish forward won the ball in midfield and broke free – but could not beat Coll. Straight up the other end, Ewa Pajor put a header off target.

However, the changes and the Blackstenius chance gave Arsenal confidence, and with 16 minutes to go they won a corner. That was delivered by former Barcelona stalwart Mariona Caldentey; the ball was only half-cleared and Mead played back in for Blackstenius to apply a cool finish.

Barcelona pressed for an equaliser and an Aitana shot was deflected wide. But Arsenal were able to keep Barcelona at bay to inherit their crown as European champions.

Visa Player of the Match: Stina Blackstenius (Arsenal)

"Had two chances before the goal with her runs in behind, stretching the game more. Then came the goal showing her match-winning influence; Mead's assist also shows the impact of substitutions for Arsenal in changing the game."

UEFA Technical Observer panel

Faye Hackwell, Arsenal reporter

An 18-year wait for a European trophy finally comes to an end, as Arsenal wrap up a campaign of twists and turns with a momentous victory. There have been so many occasions this season when they could have exited the competition, but they always hit back and today they fought with their hearts on their sleeves. There's a special togetherness in this squad and they channelled their hunger into collective determination and discipline to overcome a great Barcelona side, with a winner from perennial super-sub Blackstenius.

Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter

They arrived with über-confidence, were heavily favoured, kept trying to compete with Arsenal, but, ultimately, this was a final in which the reigning champions Barcelona were both outplayed and outcompeted.

Reaction

Renée Slegers, Arsenal coach: "I'm super-proud of my players. You can have all these ideas in your head, show videos, use your tactics board and then train them, but when you play such a good rival, who we've not faced for years, then it's executing all that in a Champions League final, which says so much about my players. I think this was the hardest game we've played so far – Barcelona gave us so much to deal with.

"So many hard times this season. We’ve been through so much together, but we've always fought back. Belief was growing all season, and a couple of critical moments in the season gave us more and more of that. The players have invested so much; they've been so intense in how they train. All the things we've demanded of them, all the questions we've asked them – they so deserve this!"

Pere Romeu, Barcelona coach: "Losing a final like this leaves you in a complicated mood. Our most experienced, best players know that in a final like this, anything can happen. We wanted more possession, more control. It cost us to generate the superiority which we wanted to achieve.

"I think that the space we generated wide, we didn't manage to convert into clear chances. I thought that the crosses in could have been better. It's one thing we didn't do all that well."

"Everyone can judge our work as they wish. We got to the last match of the Champions League. Self-critically, we didn't produce the best performance, but I don't think that anyone should judge our season just on this match."

Stina Blackstenius, Visa Player of the Match and Arsenal goalscorer: "I just can't believe it. It was such a team performance from the very beginning until the very end. I just can't believe we won the Champions League. It hasn't sunk in yet.

"They said I should try to run in behind and try to stretch them. This is, once again, a big team performance. I'm so proud of our journey, how we came here, and how we managed the game today."

Daphne van Domselaar, Arsenal goalkeeper: "I can't believe it. Honestly, it's something we worked towards the whole season, and we finally made it through to the final and actually won it – that's insane. I think we showed so much determination, and I'm just so proud of everyone.

"Of course, you dream [about keeping a clean sheet in the final] and then it becomes reality. That's insane. I need to give a lot of credit to the girls as well, how much they showed, the blocks they did and they just literally put their body on the line. And I think we all have the same mentality, so I think we've done it as a team."

Kim Little, Arsenal captain: "We knew that we had to be basically perfect to beat Barcelona, who've been one of the best in Europe for years. We did things in training which didn't work; we adapted them, and they did work today. Our players who came on today had an incredible impact.

[On sharing the trophy lift with vice-captain Williamson] "Leah and I went through the game close together. It was hard, it was intense, physical and it was hot. So when we shared that moment at the end, it was very special. Given how much it means to me, it was great to share that with her."

Aitana Bonmatí, Barcelona midfielder: "We weren't at our sharpest in the first half. It cost us to impose our game. After the break, I thought the game was more comfortable for us, but I want to congratulate Arsenal because they hit their game plan, waited for their opportunity and then took it.

“It really hurts me to look up at the stands and see our fans. It reminds me of losing in Turin [in the 2022 final]. Arsenal's goal came from a set play which we didn't defend well, but they knew how to convert their chance. We weren't at our best level, but we gave all we had. In situations like that, football sometimes punishes you. We need to push onwards and use what's happened here to our benefit in the future."

Cata Coll, Barcelona goalkeeper: "I think the game had a bit of everything. Both teams competed, but they managed to get that goal. It hurts, in all honesty. The match is over; we have to deal with it, and that's it.

"Obviously, my main objective is to ultimately keep a clean sheet, and it hurts not being able to achieve that. Arsenal scored, and I'm happy for them. We were just lacking a goal of our own, but it still hurts."

Key stats

Arsenal won their second title 18 years on from their only previous final; a record gap between first and second titles and finals.

Arsenal were the first team to reach the final from round 1 of this format and their campaign involved an unprecedented 15 matches.

Katie McCabe started all 15 matches and her 1,297 minutes is the most ever by a player in a single UEFA women's club season. Blackstenius, Mariona, Caitlin Foord, Maanum and Alessia Russo also appeared in all 15 Arsenal games.

Barcelona played their 100th game in the competition, the fourth team to reach the mark after Lyon, Arsenal and Wolfsburg. Their first two matches were also losses against Arsenal in the 2012/13 round of 32 (Alexia and Little involved then too).

Barcelona equalled Lyon's record by playing in a fifth consecutive final.

Aitana and Alexia kept up their record of appearing in all six of Barcelona's finals. The only other player to appear for Barcelona in their first five was Mariona, who moved to Arsenal last summer and thus celebrated her third title in a row having won in 2023 and 2024 with the Blaugrana.

Barcelona ended the campaign with 44 goals, one off Wolfsburg's record from 2013/14.

Arsenal: Van Domselaar; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Mariona, Maanum (Blackstenius 67), Little; Foord (Hurtig 86), Russo (Wubben-Moy 90+1), Kelly (Mead 67)

Barcelona: Cata Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Mapi León (Engen 78), Rolfö (Brugts 78); Aitana Bonmatí, Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas; Graham Hansen, Pajor, Pina (Paralluelo 62)

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Tottenham Hotspur: 2024-25 UEFA Europa League Winners

Brennan Johnson bundled in the only goal of a tense 2025 UEFA Europa League final as Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year wait for silverware with victory over Manchester United in Bilbao.

The first half was a proper arm wrestle, with both sides struggling to find their Europa League groove. Amad Diallo flashed an early effort across goal and Destiny Udogie menaced down the Spurs left but both sides were struggling to get into their Europa League groove; it was nervy, very stop-start.

We looked set to reach half-time goalless but then came a nice move down the left, Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur involved before Pape Sarr curled in an inswinger. Brennan Johnson got the first touch, it ricocheted off Luke Shaw before Johnson got another feather of a touch on it. Scrappy? Yes. Did Spurs care? No.

United appeared for the second period early and with renewed impetus, and so nearly had an equaliser midway through the half when Micky van der Ven brilliantly kept out Rasmus Højlund's goalbound header. Bruno Fernandes and substitute Alejandro Garnacho threatened but, for the most part, Spurs were relatively comfortable.

To dare is to do, says the Tottenham motto. And in Bilbao, once Guglielmo Vicario had kept out Luke Shaw's 97th-minute header, they did. Forty-one years since their second UEFA Cup/Europa League title, they have a third and the significant prize of a place in the league phase of next season's UEFA Champions League.

Reporter verdict: Mark Pettit, Tottenham

Spurs have made a name for playing swashbuckling, attacking football but never getting over the line when it mattered. Tonight, that all changed. This was not easy on the eye, or the nerves, but Postecoglou's men showed the grit, determination and resilience to get the job done under a constant stream of attacks. A first European trophy since 1984.

Reporter verdict: Steve Bates, Man Utd

No fairy tale end to the campaign for United – and no European football either next season as their first loss in the competition agonisingly comes in this final. They pushed hard in the second half to find an equaliser to cancel out Johnson's scrambled effort but the magic and the goals which carried them so spectacularly past Lyon and Athletic Club eluded Ruben Amorim and his team in Bilbao.

Reaction

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham coach: "I'm still trying to take it all in. I know what it means for this football club. Unfortunately, the longer it goes on, the harder it is to break that cycle sometimes. I could sense the nervousness in everybody at the club because they've been in this situation before. Until you take that monkey off your back, you never understand what it feels like."

Ruben Amorim, Man Utd coach: "I just have to share the pain with our fans - they deserve better. We were the better team and the guys tried everything to win the game. There were times when we didn't create situations but that is not now. I am confident in my players – it's my job to improve them."

Brennan Johnson, Tottenham goalscorer: "I'm so happy right now. This is what it's all about. This club hasn't won a trophy for 17 years. This is what it means; it means so much. Ever since I came here it's been, 'Tottenham are a good team but can never get it done' – we got it done."

Guglielmo Vicario, Tottenham goalkeeper: "I still can't believe what we've done; it is unbelievable. We have written history, in the real sense of the term. This group of players has written history in 2025. We knew before the game that we needed the effort from everyone and we did it, we delivered. Now we must celebrate."

Glenn Hoddle, BT Sport

It's incredible – I've got no nails left! It's fantastic for the club. Cup finals are about winning games and they got over the line. It's a wonderful night for those Spurs fans around the stadium.

Key stats

Spurs have moved second on the all-time list with three UEFA Cup/Europa League titles, level with Atlético de Madrid, Inter, Juventus and Liverpool. Only Sevilla (seven) have won more.

Tottenham had never won a game in Spain (D3 L4) – before Bilbao.

Spurs won four out of four against United in 2024/25: two Premier League meetings and a League Cup victory preceding their European triumph.

Five of the last six Europa League finals have been decided by one goal or fewer.

This was a record sixth all-English major UEFA men's club competition final, one more than Spain and Italy.

No team has won more games in the UEFA Cup/Europa League than Tottenham, whose 98th victory in the competition took them clear of Roma.

Only one of United's last 66 UEFA club competition matches finished goalless.

Line-ups

Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie (Spence 90); Sarr (Gray 90), Bissouma, Bentancur; Johnson (Danso 78), Solanke, Richarlison (Son 67)

Man Utd: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Shaw; Mazraoui (Dalot 85), Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu (Mainoo 90); Diallo, Højlund (Zirkzee 71), Mount (Garnacho 71)