Forward of the 2024-25 Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, Sports actions Mole rounds up the 10 finest finals in UEFA Cup/Europa League history.
An eagerly-anticipated all-English Europa League final will occur on Wednesday, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur going head-to-head in Bilbao.
No longer finest is a couple of grand-wished silverware on the toll road, but a location in the Champions League awaits the winner subsequent season, potentially making amends for miserable domestic campaigns.
Ruben Amorim‘s Man United are 16th in the Premier League, while Spurs are a location lower in 17th, and both were overwhelmed as soon as more on Friday night ahead of this showdown in the Basque Country.
On the opposite hand, both maintain performed stoically in Europe, with Man United overcoming hard Spanish opposition in the accumulate of Staunch Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao to accumulate this a long way, while Spurs knocked out Eintracht Frankfurt, ahead of seeing off Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals.
The two clubs maintain met in some thrilling fixtures this season, including Spurs’ 4-3 get in the EFL Cup quarter-finals, and if one more traditional is in retailer, it will maybe perhaps inch down as one of essentially the most memorable finals in the competition’s history.
Forward of the 2025 showpiece, Sports actions Mole has delved succor into the history books and picked out the 10 very most attention-grabbing finals from this competition in both its most up-to-date and earlier guise because the UEFA Cup.
10. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 2-3 Sevilla (2015)
Sevilla were already the kings of the competition in the stylish skills by 2015, and in sigh that they went into this final as holders in opposition to shock kit Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk – a Ukrainian membership for whom this final came true four years ahead of your complete membership used to be dissolved.
Dnipro had already upset all the probabilities to make it to Warsaw and looked heading in the correct route to enact so as soon as more when dilapidated Blackburn Rovers striker Nikola Kalinic gave them the lead after finest seven minutes.
On the opposite hand, two targets in the house of three minutes from Grzegorz Krychowiak and Carlos Bacca grew to alter into the game round ahead of a ludicrously languid Ruslan Rotan free kick restored parity as soon as more at the tip of a frenetic first half of.
Bacca then received it for Sevilla with 17 minutes ideally suited, firing his aspect to a file fourth title and seeing them change into the major crew to maintain the relieve of the contemporary rule rewarding the Europa League winners with Champions League qualification the next season.
Even so, 365 days later Sevilla were succor in the final as soon as more to grab the trophy for a third successive time.
9. Feyenoord 3-2 Borussia Dortmund (2002)
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Practically 30 years on from their final European trophy, Feyenoord learned themselves with a golden opportunity to end that drought when they reached the final of their very possess stadium in 2002.
The Dutch outfit made it there the laborious blueprint, recording one-aim mixture victories over Freiburg, Rangers and Inter Milan besides to a penalty shootout triumph over domestic opponents PSV Eindhoven, whereas Dortmund – Champions League winners finest five years prior – had cruised throughout the knockout rounds in comparability.
Feyenoord boasted the match’s high-scorer of their ranks, even though, and Pierre van Hooijdonk added to his tally with a penalty and free kick in the house of seven minutes to send the hosts into the fracture with a two-aim lead.
Dortmund’s hopes looked bleak having additionally considered membership chronicle Jurgen Kohler despatched off in his final sport for conceding the penalty, but a location kick of their very possess – received and converted by Marcio Amoroso – introduced them succor into the match two minutes after the interval.
Feyenoord’s two-aim lead used to be restored by Jon Dahl Tomasson true three minutes after that, even though, and the Dutch membership held out regardless of Jan Koller pulling one more succor with a gleaming volley and Dortmund launching wave after wave of assaults in the final half of an hour.
8. Lazio 0-3 Inter Milan (1998)
Italian football in the Nineties has a certain level of inimitable nostalgia, and the 1998 UEFA Cup final between Serie A opponents Lazio and Inter Milan – the major one-legged final in the competition – used to be arguably the height.
From the Brazilian Ronaldo wreaking havoc to Taribo West‘s hair, there had been cult references virtually in all locations you looked – to no longer expose a thrilling contest in which Inter Milan stamped their authority on Lazio with a 3-0 get which will had been even worse, with Ronaldo and Ivan Zamorano both hitting the woodwork too.
The deadly strike duo did both accumulate on the scoresheet, even though, bookending the scorers either aspect of a thunderous Javier Zanetti strike which ranks among the many finest ever UEFA Cup final targets and certainly essentially the most attention-grabbing of the 21 he went on to ranking in 858 games for the membership.
Throw two red playing cards into the drama and, while one-sided, the 1998 final used to be a conventional as Inter lifted the trophy for a third time in the house of eight years – making them essentially the most profitable membership in the competition’s history at the time.
Italian clubs between them received the UEFA Cup eight times in the house of 11 years at some level of this decade, besides to 1 reaching the Champions League final as soon as a year from 1992 to 1998, but Atalanta are actually bidding to alter into the major Serie A membership to grab this trophy since 1999.
7. Liverpool 4-3 agg. Club Brugge (1976)
Liverpool lifted the UEFA Cup for the 2nd time in 1976 in a two-legged tie broadly credited with giving the gamers the realization for the European Cup success which would maybe perhaps perhaps apply, lifting that finest prize of all four times in the eight years that adopted this triumph.
The major leg of the tie additionally save the template for neatly-known European comebacks by Liverpool in some unspecified time in the future, with Bob Paisley‘s aspect having a witness in danger when they conceded twice in the gap quarter-hour of the major leg at Anfield.
In scenes eerily related to a certain Champions League final 29 years later, even though, the Reds stormed succor with three targets in six 2nd-half of minutes to wrestle adjust of the tie succor into their very possess hands.
A Ray Kennedy stunner true ahead of the hour mark save them on their blueprint ahead of half of-time introduction Jimmy Case scrambled home from close vary and Kevin Keegan completed the quickfire turnaround from the penalty location.
Liverpool light had to shuttle to Belgium for the 2nd leg, but the house aspect’s early penalty used to be fleet cancelled out by one more Keegan strike to secure a 4-3 mixture triumph.
6. Celtic 2-3 Porto (2003)
Porto’s 2002-03 UEFA Cup campaign used to be the major time grand of Europe grew to alter into conscious of a younger up-and-coming supervisor called Jose Mourinho, and their victory over Celtic in the final offered the template for their shock Champions League triumph three hundred and sixty five days later.
History used to make sure to be made and not utilizing a membership from Portugal or Scotland having lifted the trophy ahead of, and a whopping 80,000 Celtic fans were reported to make the outing out to Seville hoping it’d be them.
That sizeable contingent ended up disappointed, but the neutrals failed to as a topsy-turvy contest really caught fire in the 2nd half of and ended up going all the blueprint to extra time.
Derlei opened the scoring in first-half of stoppage time finest for Celtic’s talisman Henrik Larsson to restore parity virtually in an instant after the restart with his 2 hundredth aim for the membership and his 10th of the season in the UEFA Cup.
Porto were succor in entrance true seven minutes after that, but as soon as as soon as more their lead used to be short-lived as Larsson struck as soon as more to make it 2-2 and force extra time.
Celtic’s task used to be made tougher by a rash Bobo Balde challenge which earned him a 2nd yellow card, even though, and Derlei doubled his tally with five minutes ideally suited of extra time to fireside Porto to the trophy, regardless of the Portuguese outfit additionally having a man despatched off slack on.
5. Ipswich Metropolis 5-4 agg. AZ (1981)
Whereas this list is suffering from neatly-known names from European football, the 1981 UEFA Cup final used to be contested between two more unfamiliar clubs as a long way because the better echelon is eager.
Dutch outfit AZ had finest been shaped 14 years earlier but had fleet change into a force in the Netherlands because of the some backing from correctly off investors, while legendary supervisor Bobby Robson had completed what even Alf Ramsey could maybe no longer and led Ipswich to a chief ever European final.
AZ had stormed to the Eredivisie title with six games to spare, and yet they were no match for Ipswich in a one-sided first leg at Portman Avenue because the Tractor Boys ran out 3-0 winners – John Wark opening the scoring from the placement for his thirteenth aim of a outstanding UEFA Cup campaign at some level of which he netted in every round.
After the match Robson stated that his aspect had “blitzed” the “best of Dutch football”, while he’s later reported to maintain made a honest bolder express ahead of the 2nd leg, threatening to depart Ipswich in the occasion that they blew their three-aim advantage.
The probabilities of those phrases coming succor to chunk the future England and Barcelona boss looked no longer skill when Ipswich took an early lead in the 2nd leg to lengthen their mixture advantage, leaving AZ desiring four targets with out acknowledge to force extra time.
By half of time, AZ had three of those targets, but one more Wark strike – a file-equalling 14th of the match season – rapidly after the half of-hour mark gave them some respiratory house and even a fourth for AZ used to be no longer passable as they ran out 4-2 winners on the night, but 5-4 losers on mixture.
4. Bayer Leverkusen 3-3 agg. Espanyol (1988)
Whereas AZ’s comeback in 1981 fell agonisingly short, Bayer Leverkusen’s in the final seven years later ranks among the many finest in European history as they picked up their first – and to this level finest – European trophy.
Espanyol perceived to maintain taken the tie away from the Germans inside of an 11-minute blitz either aspect of half of time in the major leg in Spain, as a brace from Sebastian Losada either aspect of a low strike from Miquel Soler in finding aside the hosts in advise.
And so it remained till virtually the hour mark of the return fixture in Leverkusen, when the hosts launched a stirring 2nd-half of comeback to level things up on mixture and force extra time.
Brazilian striker Tita, who had already considered a aim chalked off for nodding the ball out of the goalkeeper’s hands as he went for a aim kick, capitalised on one more defensive error to spark the comeback after 57 minutes.
A thumping diving header from Falko Gotz saw Leverkusen minimize the deficit additional true six minutes later, but it certainly used to be no longer till nine minutes from the tip of the 90 that they completed the comeback and compelled extra time.
The extra 30 handed goalless to send the UEFA Cup final into penalties for finest the 2nd time, and there used to be one more mini-comeback in that with Leverkusen missing their first location kick but then scoring their subsequent three, whereas Espanyol scored their first two but then neglected three in a row to hand Leverkusen the trophy.
3. Napoli 5-4 agg. Stuttgart (1989)
Three years on from Diego Maradona intelligent Argentina to World Cup glory, the maestro tried to enact something identical for Napoli on the European stage.
The legendary number 10 had reach to embody Napoli as they emerged as a force in the Italian sport following his arrival, and the 1989 UEFA Cup triumph used to be arguably their of entirety at some level of their finest skills.
It used to be by no blueprint easy, even though, with Stuttgart taking the lead in Naples ahead of a largely subdued Maradona levelled things up from the penalty location with 22 minutes ideally suited.
Careca‘s strike three minutes from time ensured that Napoli travelled to Germany for the 2nd leg with the lead, and in sigh that they enhanced that as soon as Alemao gave them a 1-0 advantage on the night in Stuttgart.
A younger Jurgen Klinsmann soon replied, but Napoli looked in complete advise when targets from Ciro Ferrara and Careca handed them a 3-1 lead on the night and 5-2 advantage on mixture with lower than half of an hour ideally suited.
On the opposite hand, two targets in the final 20 minutes, including one with finest one minute of usual time ideally suited, made for a thrilling finale and Napoli true about held on for their first and to this level finest major European trophy.
2. Sevilla 2-2 Espanyol – Sevilla get on penalties (2007)
The foundation for Sevilla’s dominance of this competition had been save with their first triumph in 2006, and true three hundred and sixty five days later they were succor as soon as more to relieve the trophy – the major crew to enact so since Staunch Madrid in 1986.
Hampden Park hosted the major all-Spanish UEFA Cup final as Espanyol looked to banish the demons of their fall down 19 years prior, but there used to be more heartbreak to reach for the Catalan outfit.
Sevilla took the lead through Adriano after 18 minutes, finest for Albert Riera to level things up for Espanyol 10 minutes later.
Espanyol can even maintain felt that they edged the gap 45 minutes, but their probabilities of success were hit by a 68th-minute red card for Moises Hurtado and in the tip they were compelled to stand up to heavy Sevilla pressure to force extra time.
A Freddie Kanoute aim at the tip of the major half of of extra time looked luxuriate in being passable to hand Sevilla the trophy, but exchange Jonatas struck with five minutes ideally suited to grab the game to penalties.
In all there had been 43 photos at some level of the 120 minutes, including 18 heading in the correct route, but it certainly all came down to the gamers’ nerves from 12 yards in the tip and Sevilla scored three of their four location kicks whereas Espanyol neglected three of theirs.
1. Liverpool 5-4 Alaves (2001)
Really, there used to be no longer grand competition when it came to high location on this list.
The 2001 UEFA Cup final used to be a madcap affair which had every thing – nine targets, two red playing cards, a penalty, an possess aim, a golden aim, a comeback and, at the tip of it all, a trophy which completed a treble of FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup for Gerard Houllier‘s Liverpool.
Even the fable ahead of the game used to be fascinating; Liverpool as four-time European Cup winners and one of the continent’s finest clubs were showing of their first European final since being banned in the wake of the 1985 Heysel fret, while Alaves had risen from relative obscurity to reach the final of their first ever season of European competition.
The account finest got better when the gap whistle went, with targets from Markus Babbel and Steven Gerrard giving Liverpool a 2-0 lead inside of 16 minutes in Dortmund, and Gary McAllister then making certain the two-aim advantage remained going into half of time after Alaves had halved the deficit.
The Spanish outfit came flying out of the traps in the 2nd half of, even though, with Javi Moreno scoring twice in the gap four minutes to restore parity.
Houllier grew to alter into to Liverpool authorized Robbie Fowler off the bench after 64 minutes and the circulation paid snappily dividends as he restored his aspect’s lead eight minutes later, but the drama used to be no longer over there as Jordi Cruyff – son of Johan and formerly on Manchester United’s books – rescued extra time in the 88th minute.
Alaves can even maintain even belief they deserved more having considered two penalty appeals grew to alter into down slack on – one of which saw Magno handed a yellow card for diving which proved pricey in extra time as he used to be confirmed a 2nd to originate his marching orders.
The Spanish underdogs were then lowered to nine men early in the 2nd half of of extra time when captain Antonio Karmona additionally saw red, and from the following free kick Delfi Geli headed into his possess catch – an possess aim which handed Liverpool prompt victory courtesy of the golden aim rule.
The unforgettable contest saw Liverpool seize the trophy for a file-equalling third time and used to be the correct major European membership final to had been determined by a golden aim ahead of that rule used to be scrapped.
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