Evening Standard
·9 mai 2025
Europa League final: Tottenham have no fear of Manchester United, says Micky van de Ven

Evening Standard
·9 mai 2025
Spurs have already beaten Manchester United three times this season
Micky van de Ven says Tottenham will face Manchester United without any fear in the Europa League Final after brushing aside Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.
The Premier League pair meet in Bilbao on May 21 after Spurs beat the Norwegian champions 2-0 in their semi-final decider here in Norway, while United hammered Athletic Club 7-1 on aggregate in the other last-four tie.
Spurs are unbeaten in five meetings against United under head coach Ange Postecoglou and have already won three times against the Red Devils this season, but Ruben Amorim's side have more experience of big occasions.
"Everybody goes to Bilbao to win a trophy. It has been a tough season and it will only be successful if we win the Europa League and get the trophy," said Van de Ven, when asked about the final match-up.
"[United] played Athletic Club, a really good team, and it was 7-1 over the two games.
"So they've also showed some real quality in Europe. We know it's going to be a different game, everything can happen in a final. But we're not going there with fear, of course.
"We know our qualities, we know it's going to be a difficult game, Man United showed their quality in this European campaign."
Yves Bissouma celebrates with the Spurs fans
Getty Images
Leading 3-1 from last week's first leg in London, Spurs produced another disciplined and committed away performance in Bodo, despite having to play on a much-discussed artificial pitch in chilly conditions in the Arctic Circle.
Second-half goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro earned Postecoglou's side a 2-0 win on the night to set up a second European final for the club in six years.
"We came here with confidence," said Van de Ven. "Their record was really good at home but we knew we were better.
“We saw how we played at home, we dominated them and we knew we could do the same here. You saw they didn't really create a lot of chances. We showed a lot of discipline. Also the Frankfurt away game [in the quarter-final second leg], we kept a clean sheet and won over there.
"Everybody had doubts when we came over here because Bodo/Glimt was doing unbelievably in their home games in Europe. So we knew from the beginning it was going to be a really tough game but we showed discipline, mentality, we did what we needed to do, we got a clean sheet and now we go to Bilbao."
Asked about proving those doubters wrong, he added: "That's a good feeling!
"The atmosphere in the dressing room is unbelievable. We're in a European final, one game away from a trophy and I think the mentality we showed today was unbelievable.
"To be in a European final with Tottenham is a big thing for the fans and the club. For me personally, I'm really proud to be part of it."
Van de Ven's partnership with Cristian Romero was again key to Spurs' win in Norway, with the pair restricting the home side to half-chances and the Argentine setting up Solanke's opener with a header from a corner.
"Cuti's an unbelievable player," the Dutchman said. "You can see that mentality-wise. With the ball, without the ball. He knows how it is to play these types of games. You can see it in how he is, he shows so much to the rest, he helps the whole team. My partnership with Cuti we feel each other. He knows what to do, I know what to do. We back each other.
"Yeah, of course for me personally it's a tough season. I didn't play a lot of games but now I'm going to play a European final, the first final of my career. For me, unbelievable. A season with ups and downs and hopefully I can end up with more positive things."