Manchester United have a new football heritage ahead of Europa League final vs Tottenham

Football heritage has a new meaning at Manchester United. Five cups, four more finals and the prospect of another trophy would represent a golden period for most clubs. United have crammed all of that into a doldrum decade.

Their ninth European final will be more meaningful than their eighth, when supporters had to undergo more tests than a pupil during summer exams just to enter Gdansk in 2021. That Covid-impacted final was a hollow experience that served up 120 moribund minutes between United and Villarreal.

United-Tottenham in a splendid Spanish city is the most consequential final in the Europa League era of what was once known as the Uefa Cup. Champions League qualification raises the stakes, never mind the prize pot of nearly £100million.

"The money is not the most important," Ruben Amorim insisted. "Even the title to win as a coach, is that feeling that we can do good things, the feeling to give something to our fans. Particularly in this season.

"It’s not just playing Champions League next season, it’s that feeling that we can change things."

Champions League qualification was not at the forefront of United fans' minds during their sole triumph in the Europa League. The 2017 final in Stockholm stirred raw emotions, held 48 hours after the barbaric Manchester Arena attack. On a sporting level, United completed the set by lifting a trophy whose silhouette did not previously appear on their honours' board.

Tottenham have won the Uefa Cup twice. They have reached a Champions League final much more recently than United. As easy as some find it to deride Spurs, they are a bigger club than some that will finish in the top five of the Premier League and they boast European pedigree.

United, for such a storied club,