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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jonathan Wilson

The bin fire strikes back: United and Spurs’ song for Europe is a bit of tasteless fun

A bucket hat with the message ‘Coz Uniteds going to Bilbao’ for sale outside Old Trafford
Both English finalists can end the season with a night of glory, a trophy and Champions League qualification. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The best thing about football is what a silly, mercurial game it is. You can have all the money or political clout in the world. You can put in place meticulously thought-out projects. You can think and prepare and invest and plan, and football will still spit out a Europa League final between Tottenham and Manchester United. Strategise that.

Thousands will travel to Bilbao without tickets, many will end up sleeping rough, the phone network may collapse. It will be chaotic and anarchic and at its heart will be a game between two teams desperate for victory, whose presence in the final is utterly bewildering. And in that bonkersness may lie brilliance.

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