Ange Postecoglou reveals why this Tottenham side can win the Europa League final
Tottenham Hotspur may have a history of falling at the final hurdle over the last two decades, but Ange Postecoglou has now revealed what he sees in the current Spurs squad that gives him confidence that they can get their hands on the Europa League trophy in Bilbao.
Spurs will take on Man United at San Mames on May 21 in one of the most high-profile Europa League finals in a long time, given the pedigree of the two sides involved.
Tottenham have beaten the Red Devils on three occasions already this season across all competitions, which the Lilywhites will take confidence from.
However, some pundits believe that Man United are clear favourites in the final, due to the club’s history of regularly winning silverware.
Ange Postecoglou reveals why he has faith in his Tottenham players ahead of Europa League final
While this will undoubtedly be the biggest game of Postecoglou’s managerial career so far, the Australian is no stranger to being involved in cup finals, having won trophies wherever he has been.
The 59-year-old pointed out that his Tottenham side have shown tremendous resilience amidst adversity all season, admitting that it gives him the belief that they can deal with the pressure and expectations of a massive final.
When it was pointed out that United have a knack of winning silverware, and when Postecoglou was asked if his players were mentally ready to take on Rubem Amorim’s men in the final, he said (via Football.London): “A final is a unique standalone game, it’s a bit different to everything you do in the build up to it.
“But if you’re talking about resilience and adversity, this group of players have had it in bucket loads this year and we’ve still found a way to deal with it. We’ve been losing players, key players and yet they’ve still found a way to stick together and believe in what we’re doing.
“That gives me the belief that the challenge we have of trying to overcome a tough opponent in a massive game, I know the lads have it in them to rise to that.”
History will count for very little in Bilbao
One can certainly create a narrative based on the history of the two clubs involved in the final, but the reality is that the majority of the players in both squads are completely unburdened by past failures or successes.
There are a lot of players in the United squad who have not tasted success at the highest level, while Tottenham Hotspur boast a World Cup winner and a two-time Copa America winner in their squad, among several other league title winners.
Basing one’s assessment on the history of two clubs rather than on the history of the actual players and managers involved in this game is flawed.
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