With a trophy and a spot in next season’s Champions League on the line, Villarreal will take on Manchester United in the UEL final. Unai Emery’s men beat Arsenal to get to this stage, while United got past Roma.
Should things go a certain way, Villarreal will become Europe’s ultimate party-poopers in a week. The Spanish side takes on Real Madrid and United within the space of six days and will be going into both matches as underdogs. There is plenty at stake for Emery’s men in both matches. A win against Real Madrid could secure a spot in next season’s Europa League. However, beat Manchester United, and a spot in the subsequent Champions League group stage will open up for them. Lose both, and they risk falling into the newly-established third tier of European football – Europa Conference League.
Manchester United have – at least – secured a return to the Champions League group stage. The Red Devils looked set for another gloomy season when they were losing matches continuously during the early parts of the campaign. However, something clicked one of those days for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, enabling them to overtake the title pretenders and cement their place as the second-best side in the Premier League this season. They fell short of the title by some margin, but they secured European football with much more ease than many would’ve thought.
As such, United’s attention must now turn to the Europa League. Understandably, the UEL is not the biggest trophy at stake in a footballing season. However, it is still a European cup that many teams dream of, one day, holding in their hands. Manchester United does as well, for a win over Villarreal in the final would bring a trophy to Old Trafford for the first time since 2017.
There is much more than just glory at stake for Villarreal, though. The Spanish giants fell behind during the domestic season but have a chance to secure a return to the Champions League. While beating Manchester United is a tall order, they will fancy their chances over the course of a 90-minute game, especially with the Red Devils’ captain – Harry Maguire – set to sit this one out. Villarreal also have a secret weapon at their disposal – Emery. The Spaniard has won the competition more times than any other coach in its history and will be looking to add another one to his cabinet.
Key Players
Gerard Moreno has been incredible throughout for Villarreal this season. Leading the line, the striker has scored 29 goals across all competitions and has provided 10 assists. His total contribution of 39 goals in 44 matches makes him one of the standout performers this season – all over Europe. The Spanish National Team awaits Moreno at the end of the domestic season, but first, he will look to end things on a positive note by winning the cup.
As shrewd a signing as there can be, Dani Parejo has been a hit for Villarreal all season. Signed from rivals Valencia during their summer exodus, Parejo went straight into Unai Emery’s starting eleven and has rarely dropped out since. He may not have the best numbers when compared to some of his positional peers, but Parejo makes the play tick for the Yellow Submarine. He is the conductor from deep, someone who his team relies a lot on to make things happen.
What a signing Edinson Cavani has been for Manchester United. Written off as being another Radamel Falcao at the start of the season, Cavani has proven his doubters wrong. The Uruguayan – despite his advancing age – remains one of the best forwards on the continent. His performances impressed the club so much that they decided to extend his contract for another season, and may call off their search for a new striker this summer.
These are the kind of games Paul Pogba expected to play in when he signed for Manchester United in a world-record fee. Unfortunately, during Pogba’s second stint at the club, matches like these haven’t come around too often. Nevertheless, United are in a final now, and Pogba will be relishing the chance to star for his side once more. He was on the scoresheet when the Red Devils won the same competition back in 2017.
Prediction
United’s form has dwindled in recent weeks. They have lost two and drawn one of their previous three matches, which, in turn, coincide with the injury lay-off to Harry Maguire. They are expected to be without the Englishman for the final, but that won’t excuse them from going into it as the favorites.
Villarreal are a strong side with an experienced manager at the helm. However, they cannot match the star quality of Manchester United. With the kind of form Cavani, Mason Greenwood, and Bruno Fernandes are in, the Red Devils should easily win this match.
