Wednesday Morning Hot Links
Today is the Europa League Final! One undeserving team will win a trophy and, with it, a spot in next year’s Champions League. The other undeserving team just might fire their manager. High stakes!
Leeds United have been linked to Manchester City’s 22-year old midfielder James McAtee for quite some time, but with Pep Guardiola’s statement that he’ll quit unless City get rid of some players, the chances of McAtee coming to Elland Road appear a bit better. McAtee was left out of the team that beat Bournemouth 3-1 yesterday.
My Large Wonderful Brazilian Son Raphinha is set to stay at Barcelona through 2028.
Atlético Madrid is reportedly making USMNT’s Johnny Cardoso, currently at Real Betis, their top target this summer.
The Europa League Final is at 2pm Central on Paramount+ and will “feature” Manchester United and Tottenham. Regardless of whichever team wins, they will be the lowest-ranked team to ever win a major trophy and subsequently make it to the Champions League the next season. It’s just the sixth major European final to be played by two English teams (though it’s the fourth since 2018).
Two of Tottenham’s 11 Premier League wins this season have been against Manchester United. Of the other nine wins, three of them were against teams that have been relegated. Of the other six wins, four of them came against teams ranked 9th in the Premier League or worse.
Manchester United have won 10 Premier League games this season. Five of those wins were against relegated teams, and three more came against 10th Place Fulham and 9th Place Brentford. The most impressive win came against 3rd Place Manchester City, who are in the middle of one of their worst seasons in recent memory (which says something about this era of Manchester City soccer, that they’re in 3rd Place in the Premier League and their manager is talking about quitting).
Of course you don’t just luck in to a major European final, so either both teams just simply get up for Europa League games, or the Premier League is the hardest league in the world.
Not only is a place in Europe on the line for Manchester United, but also the chance to sign 22-year old striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town. If United don’t win, Delap would likely sign with a team that can offer him a chance to play in Europe.
Anyway, you can watch Manchester United and Tottenham play for a trophy they don’t deserve in Bilbao, Spain at 2pm on Paramount+. BBC: How is Bilbao coping with 80,000 Man United/Spurs fans?
Former Leeds United defender Rio Ferdinand, who was sold to Manchester United for a then-record £30 million fee in 2002, says he’s glad Leeds are back in the Premier League and also that he didn’t realize how much Leeds hates Manchester United.
FourFourTwo: The best stats surrounding the Europa League Final.
It is far too easy to bet on sports, but the betting markets basically have it at 50/50.
Oh good, FIFA will use “dynamic pricing” for the 2026 World Cup.
CBS Sports: Should Christian Pulisic leave AC Milan?
Elsewhere
BBC: These four British soldiers did it. They set a record by summiting Everest in less than five days (a standard expedition takes 6-8 weeks, to acclimatize to the lower oxygen levels) by using xenon gas.
Banu Mushtaq won the International Booker Prize for her collection of short stories, “Heart Lamp" - the first time a short story collection has won the prestigious award.