It will be all English final in the UEFA Europa League competition this season as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will trade tackles for the trophy with a chance of Champions League football next season.
Spurs, who have not won a trophy for the past 17 years, secured the final tickets through second-half goals from Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro against Bodo/Glimt to record a 5-1 aggregate victory.
They will face Man Utd on May 21 in Bilbao, and they have a chance to win their first trophy since 2008.
Spurs had struggled against the Norwegian hosts on the artificial pitch inside the Arctic Circle for over an hour, but Dominic Solanke headed in against the run of play to ease the tension.
They then put the game beyond doubt when Pedro Porro’s cross-shot dropped in soon after they knew they were Bilbao-bound for the May 21 final.
This was a huge test for Ange Postecoglou’s players as Lazio, Olympiacos, and Porto have all lost at Bodo/Glimt this season.
The Australians’ run of securing silverware in his second year in charge of teams could now continue against the Red Devils, whom the Spurs have beaten three times already this term.
Having defeated some of the top sides in the competition this season, when Bodo/Glimt pulled a goal back late on in the first leg, this fixture was laced with danger, reminiscent of how Spurs had blown the same advantage at Dinamo Zagreb in 2021.
The Norwegian side produced a dangerous moment early in the tie when Ole Didrik Blomberg hit the side-netting.
Aside from a well-saved Porro free-kick, Spurs offered little threat to them until the quarter of the second half, as Destiny Udogie twice had to scramble the ball away from inside the six-yard box.
But Solanke got a chance to kill the pressure from Bodo/Glimt, and Porro’s freak second allowed the 400 travelling fans to enjoy the final 20 minutes and plot their way to the San Mames.
This is now an opportunity for Spurs’ dream to end their wait for silverware to come true and grab a valuable Champions League place at the same time.
It’s also an opportunity for United, who are languishing in the 15th position on the English Premier League table, to qualify for the European club competition.
As it stands, anyone who loses the final will kiss European competition next season goodbye, as Spurs are just behind United in the 16th position.
