The Europa League trophy will be heading for England this season after Manchester United and Tottenham booked a final showdown in Bilbao on May 21st.
It will be the third time two English sides have battled it out for the silverware in the competition.
Substitute Mason Mount’s magical brace helped secure a 4-1 comeback win against battling Athletic Bilbao.
Last week’s fantastic 3-0 semi-final first-leg win at San Mames put the Red Devils within touching distance of a return to Bilbao for the May 21st showpiece, but Ruben Amorim’s side rarely do things the easy way.
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Mikel Jauregizar’s 25-yard strike gave Athletic a deserved lead as United stumbled out of the blocks at Old Trafford, capitalising on an error by quarter-final hero Harry Maguire in spectacular fashion.
The Old Trafford faithful stuck with their stuttering side and Mount’s excellent turn and strike punctured growing tension, with Casemiro’s header and a close-range Rasmus Hojlund effort completing the turnaround.
And Mount scored a glorious second from long range in stoppage time, with goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala well out of position, wrapping up a 4-1 victory and 7-1 aggregate triumph.
Tottenham remain on course to end their 17-year trophy drought and to win silverware in Ange Postecoglou’s second season after a 2-0 win in Bodo/Glimt sent them through to the Europa League final.
Spurs held a two-goal lead after last week’s first leg in north London, but had been warned to expect a stern examination on Bodo’s notoriously difficult artificial surface in the Arctic Circle.
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A firework display welcomed both teams on to the Aspmyra Stadion pitch, but Postecoglou watched his team produce a masterful defensive display in the first half before they struck twice in the second period.
Dominic Solanke made the breakthrough after 63 minutes with his 15th goal of the season before a cross-cum-shot from Pedro Porro six minutes later all but assured Tottenham of a place in the final in Bilbao.
It will be only the second European final Spurs have contested in the last 40 years and despite a woeful Premier League campaign with the club down in 16th position, Postecoglou can still stay true to his vow of always winning a trophy in his second season.
Chelsea will play in the Conference League final on May 28th after they beat Djurgarden 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to round off a 5-1 aggregate victory.
It was a measure of this most unusual European season, in which Enzo Maresca’s side have coasted to the showpiece in the Polish city of Wroclaw using largely their second string and swatting aside teams from the likes of Armenia and Kazakhstan, that 10 players were left out from Sunday’s win over Liverpool and a full debut was handed to 16-year-old midfielder Reggie Walsh.
The London club will play Real Betis or Fiorentina in the final, after their game went to extra time.
