Manchester United will face AFC Ajax in their first ever Europa League final at Friends Arena, Stockholm on 25th May. The teams will meet each other for the 5th time in the competition with both clubs having managed two wins each in their last five meetings.
De Joden defeated Olympique Lyonnais 5-4 on aggregate to reach their first European final since the 1995 UEFA Champions League. On the other hand, the Red Devils huffed and puffed to a 2-1 aggregate win against Celta de Vigo.
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The Old Trafford outfit failed to make it to the top 4 of the Premier League this season and will, therefore, have to win the Europa League to book their ticket to next season's Champions League.
Also read: What If: Manchester United don’t win the Europa League this year?
Here are five reasons why the Europa League final will be memorable:
#1 Manchester United chase first Europa League title
Manchester United have qualified for the final of a European competition after eight long years – they made it to the finals of the 2009 Champions League. Interestingly, the Europa League is the only major European trophy that the club is yet to win.
United have won the UEFA Champions League three times, European Cup Winners' Cup one time and European Super Cup once and winning the Europa League title will complete the set for the Red Devils.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho will be in charge of a team for the second time in the Europa League final; he last won it with FC Porto back in 2003.
#2 AFC Ajax's first European final in 21 years
AFC Ajax are on the verge of winning their 9th European trophy. They have won the UEFA Champions League four times, European Cup Winners' Cup once, European Super Cup two times and the UEFA Cup as well. However, this will be the first time in 22 years that they will feature in a major European final after their success in the 1995 UEFA Champions League against AC Milan.
In the 1995 final, Ajax’s starting XI had nine players who were 24 or younger, and the squad is almost same this season as well. The core of their side is made up of youngsters including Kasper Dolberg (19), Bertrand Traore (21) and Hakim Ziyech (24).
#3 Two future superstars go head-to-head
It will be a battle between two of the brightest striking prospects in world football – Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford vs Ajax’s Kasper Dolberg.
Rashford has scored 11 goals and assisted another six in 52 appearances for his club this season. After senior striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic suffered a ligament injury in the Europa League quarter-final, it was Rashford who stepped up as the main man. He scored the all-important free-kick against Celta Vigo in the semi-final that helped United overcome the Spanish side and reach the finals.
The 19-year-old has scored two goals and assisted another four in 10 Europa League games this season.
Dolberg, on the other hand, has scored 23 goals and assisted another eight in 47 appearances for his club this season.
The Denmark international has netted six times in European football’s second tier competition, and it was his away goal in the 2nd leg against Lyon that helped the club reach their first European final in two decades.
Both the strikers are in good form and would like to help their respective clubs to European glory. Who will come out on top?
#4 Spanish dominance comes to an end
It has been the Spanish clubs who have lifted the Europa League trophy on four occasions in the last five seasons. Sevilla FC ruled the competition for the last three years, becoming the only club to win the competition three consecutive times.
However, the Spanish club competed in the Champions League this season and hence could not feature in the Europa League. Sevilla’s absence has allowed many of the other teams a shot at the title and has also ended Spain’s dominance in the competition as neither of the final two teams in the Europa League are from Spain.
#5 Wayne Rooney and David de Gea’s send-off match
Both Wayne Rooney and David de Gea have established themselves as superstars at United. Both players have produced some match-winning performances for the Red Devils in the past and in this season as well.
The Spaniard was the first ever goalkeeper to win the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award. Moreover, he is the only player to have won the award on three consecutive occasions in the history of the club.
Rooney, on the other hand, is the highest ever goalscorer for the Red Devils with 253 goals. The Englishman is set to join his former club Everton this summer with de Gea too looking set to complete a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
With both players set to leave the club in the summer, we might see them play their last ever game for United. However, Mourinho has promised that Sergio Romero will start in goal while Rashford will lead the forward line.
However, Rooney and de Gea will be named on the bench and could feature at some point in the match.
