Talking of Sir Alex…
Manchester United’s legendary supervisor Sir Alex Ferguson has made the journey to Spain.
When Ange met Sir Alex
Manchester United should not unfamiliar foes for Ange Postecoglou nowadays, however when he first encountered the Purple Devils, it was very a lot a novelty.
That is as a result of Postecoglou was in control of South Melbourne when the then OFC Champions performed within the FIFA Membership World Championship in Brazil in 2000.
Hellas encountered the then reigning Champions League winners within the closing pool stage recreation on the Maracanã in Rio.
“We have been a semi-pro crew, taking part in towards the nice Manchester United, who’d received the treble, on the Maracana,” Postecoglou mentioned earlier this 12 months.
“We ended up dropping 2-0 on the day however we gave a good account of ourselves contemplating the distinction.
“A few of my gamers, who have been semi-pro however good footballers, most likely performed the video games of their lives that day.”
Quinton Fortune scored twice for United on that day and regardless of Hellas giving a good account of themselves, there was some sneering from the United gamers.
Goran Lozanovski informed Soccer Nation Radio in 2019 that there was “a little bit of sarcasm from the United gamers after we got here in [to swap shirts],” he mentioned.
“Would you consider … Ole [Solskjaer] and Andy Cole have been laughing going ‘take a look at these amateurs’.
“However Roy Keane walks in and actually put them of their place, telling them to be respectful.
“I’ve the utmost respect for Roy he was a whole gentleman.”
Ange’s spectacular finals file
Everyone knows that Ange Postecoglou is a serial winner, however generally it’s price remembering what he has achieved.
Thus far in his profession he has received 7 (seven) league titles throughout three totally different nations and 4 totally different leagues: two every with South Melbourne (NSL), Brisbane Roar (A-League) and Celtic (Scottish Premiership) in addition to the J-League with Yokohama F Marinos.
He additionally received three cup competitions with Celtic and OFC Champions League with South Melbourne.
That does not embody his worldwide credentials, the place he received the AFC Asian Cup with the Socceroos.
In his profession, Ange has led membership groups in six cup finals.
He is received 5 of them.
How have Manchester United fared in UEFA competitions?
Look, fairly nicely general.
Manchester United have received the granddaddy of European trophies, the Champions League (previously the European Cup) thrice, in 1968, 1999 and 2008.
The 1968 match was memorable for United beating Benfica with a crew rebuilt from the ashes of the Munich Air catastrophe of 1958.
The 1999 closing featured one of many best comebacks of all time as United scored twice late in Barcelona to beat Bayern Munich 2-1.
Then, in 2008, Manchester United beat fellow English facet Chelsea on penalties on the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
In 1991, Manchester United beat Barcelona 2-1 within the European Cup Winners’ Cup closing at De Kuip in Rotterdam, after which they beat Crvena Zvezda (Purple Star Belgrade) within the European Tremendous Cup.
Manchester United’s most up-to-date European triumph got here within the Europa League, once they beat Ajax 2-0 within the closing in 2017 in Stockholm.
By profitable the Europa League, United joined Juventus, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Chelsea as the one golf equipment to have received the three main European trophies that had existed on the time (previous to the introduction of the Europa Convention League).
United completed as runners up within the Europa League in 2020/21, dropping the ultimate to Villarreal, and twice completed runners up within the Champions League in 2008/09, 2010/11, dropping each occasions to Barcelona.
How have Spurs fared in UEFA competitions?
Spurs have twice received the competitors that later grew to become often called the Europa League below its earlier guise of the UEFA Cup.
They really received the event twice; in 1972, beating fellow English membership Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 on mixture, after which once more in 1984 once they beat Belgian facet Anderlecht on penalties after the two-legged closing completed 2-2.
That wasn’t the primary European trophy Spurs received although.
In 1963, Spurs received the sadly departed European Cup Winners’ Cup, thumping Atlético Madrid 5-1 within the closing at De Kuip in Rotterdam.
It made them the primary British membership to win a European trophy.
Spurs have additionally come shut on a few different events.
In 1974 they misplaced within the closing of the UEFA Cup towards Feyenoord, who received 4–2 on mixture.
Extra lately, Spurs misplaced the 2018/19 Champions League closing 2-0 to Liverpool on the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid.
Spurs do have a very good current file towards Manchester United although…
Spurs haven’t misplaced in a aggressive match towards Manchester United of their final six conferences in all competitions (D2 L4).
Ominously, United have by no means gone seven video games with no win towards Spurs earlier than.
They’ve additionally by no means misplaced 4 successive matches towards the Lillywhites.
Earlier file towards Man United ‘irrelevant’
Here is Ange Postecoglou, he is simply been chatting with TNT Sport within the UK.
“Nice feeling,” he says.
“Spurs royalty [Glenn Hoddle and Gareth Bale are] right here. These guys know it is a particular night time for the membership. As a soccer membership, we have not had too many of those moments lately.
He says that the crew he chosen exhibits that Spurs “want some working energy tonight.”
“It is a type of recreation the place we’re going should work exhausting defensively and attackingly,” he says.
“United are a troublesome opponent — there’s a few key gamers we have to shutdown.”
He additionally says that beating Manchester United thrice this season is just not essential.
“That could be a irrelevant and it’s a closing. Your kind coming into finals would not depend for a lot,” he says.
Are Manchester United below simply as a lot strain?
After all, Australian curiosity could also be centered on Spurs, however Manchester United have simply as pathetic a season as Spurs.
And but, Ruben Amorim is just not below as a lot strain as Postecoglou.
“It is unusual as a result of you have got some coaches right here that lose some video games and they’re sacked… it is exhausting to clarify,” Amorim mentioned on the press convention on Tuesday.
“I feel folks see what we are attempting to do, I feel that individuals see that generally I am pondering extra concerning the membership than myself.
“Individuals perceive, particularly the board, that we’ve a whole lot of points that within the context, is basically exhausting.”
Manchester United are sixteenth within the Premier League and are dealing with simply their second season with out European soccer since English golf equipment have been readmitted in 1990.
Off discipline, United are a large number, with an overpriced squad and a boardroom who appear extra obsessive about lowering poorly help workers than arresting the slide on the sector.
Will a win will change the narrative across the membership? It is unlikely, to be sincere.
However it would at the least hand the membership a bit of silverware.
Postecoglou below strain
The strain that has been mounting on Ange Postecoglou over the previous few months has change into suffocating.
The Australian has needed to change into used to folks unfairly questioning his administration credentials — there are few managers on the planet who’ve received titles on three totally different continents in addition to a world trophy in any case — however there’s a sense within the British press that this match is the be all and finish all.
An article in London’s Night Commonplace advised that Postecoglou was “teetering between hero and clown”.
He, understandably reacted emotionally to it.
“Regardless of tomorrow, I am not a clown and by no means will probably be,” Postecoglou mentioned in an emotional press convention.
“You actually disillusioned me that you simply used such terminology to explain an individual that for 26 years, with none favours from anybody, has labored his approach to a place the place he’s main out a membership in a European closing.
“So that you can counsel that by some means us not being profitable signifies that I am a clown, I am unsure learn how to reply that query.”
He added that no matter occurs, he’ll be “high quality”.
“Do not stress,” he mentioned. “I’ve been on this place earlier than the place a giant recreation has been the final one I’ve managed.
“I certified for a World Cup with Australia and left, received at Celtic and left, received at Brisbane and left. It does occur.
“My future is assured. I’ve an excellent household and an excellent life. Supplied my well being stays and my household is there my future is assured.
“I nonetheless suppose there may be a whole lot of work to be completed [at Spurs]. There was some development I want to see by way of.
“Whether or not that occurs I do not know however there may be nonetheless some development there.”
You possibly can learn extra right here.
Busy afternoon in Bilbao…
Manchester United crew information
As you’d count on from Manchester United.
Mason Mount will begin after that was hinted in the course of the week, with Leny Yoro coming in to interchange Victor Lindelof.
One suprise maybe is Joshua Zirkzee being named on the bench – we have been informed he was completed for the season not too way back.
Tottenham crew information: Big star left on bench
First up, crew information for Spurs and Ange Postecoglou has made an enormous name to go away one among his star gamers on the bench.
Son Heung-min has solely simply returned from damage and it is that lack of recreation time that is value him a beginning spot.
After all, with long run accidents to James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski, the dearth of star energy is in proof.
“I am disillusioned with the crew that Ange Postecoglou has picked. He is gone defensive,” former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson has informed BBC Sport.
“You take a look at the file they’ve had towards Manchester United within the Premier League this season, they’ve overwhelmed them thrice and run excessive of them with tempo and energy.
“Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are all defensive midfielders and Tottenham are higher with a extra attacking facet.”
Spurs and Man United striving to rescue torrid seasons
There is no such thing as a hiding from the truth that Spurs and Manchester United have each been horrible this 12 months.
Among the numbers are completely appalling.
- Tottenham have misplaced 25 video games in all competitions this season, essentially the most in a single marketing campaign of their historical past.
- Manchester United have suffered 18 league defeats, essentially the most they’ve misplaced since 20 in 1973/74. The Purple Devils have been relegated from the highest flight that 12 months.
- Manchester United haven’t received of their final eight video games within the Premier League (D2 L6), the primary time since an 11-game stretch with no win between December 1989 and February 1990.
- Spurs have received simply one among their final 11 Premier League video games (D2 L8) since beating backside facet Southampton 3-1 in April.
- Spurs have additionally conceded in every of their final 12 league video games, their longest run with no clear sheet since 17 between August and December 2010.
- Spurs and Manchester United sit sixteenth and seventeenth within the Premier League, simply above the relegation zone. There has by no means been a closing in any of UEFA’s membership competitions the place each have been so low of their home leagues and by no means been one when a membership is simply above the relegation zone.
It is horrible.
And but, the winner of this recreation will play in subsequent 12 months’s Champions League.
Good morning soccer followers
Hey and welcome to the ABC Sport protection of an enormous morning for Australian soccer.
No, we’re not speaking concerning the essential match in rural Gloucestershire this night (if you recognize, you recognize), we’re speaking Europa League, the place Spurs and Manchester United will hope to rescue their abject home seasons with a golden ticket to the Champions League.
My title is Simon Smale and I’m right here to take you thru all of the motion because it occurs over in Bilbao on the San Mamés Stadium.
