Manchester United will reportedly opt for a modest barbeque at the club’s Carrington training facility to celebrate if they secure victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final on May 21, with no public trophy parade planned. These arrangements coincide with a series of cost-cutting measures recently implemented by the club.
The decision for a subdued celebration is understood to be influenced by both financial considerations and logistical challenges. Recent cost-saving initiatives at Manchester United have included staff redundancies and the discontinuation of free lunches for employees.
For the final in Bilbao, Spain, players are reportedly being limited to two complimentary tickets each. While they can purchase up to ten additional tickets, they will be responsible for arranging the travel and logistics for their friends and relatives. Club staff, who previously received free tickets for such events, will not be allocated any for the Bilbao final; instead, a viewing party is being organised for them in central Manchester. The club has stated its commitment to ensuring the majority of its official 15,000 ticket allocation is available to supporters.
A public parade faces considerable logistical hurdles. Unlike their last Europa League success in 2017 under Jose Mourinho, United have a Premier League fixture against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on May 25, just four days after the final. Immediately after the Villa match, the squad is scheduled to fly to Asia for two post-season matches in Malaysia and Hong Kong, returning on May 31. Many players are then due to report for international duty, with events such as Portugal’s Nations League semi-final (potentially involving Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot) on June 4, and World Cup qualifiers commencing from June 5.
Manchester United have not held a trophy parade since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. In contrast, Tottenham Hotspur are expected to hold a parade if they emerge victorious. Newcastle United celebrated their Carabao Cup win with a city parade in March, and Liverpool are due to host one on May 26 following their Premier League title.
The club’s approach to celebrating potential European success this year reflects a pragmatic stance shaped by current financial prudence and a demanding post-season schedule.
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