Jose Mourinho Says Europa League Final Defeat Will Have “Huge Impact” on Manchester United

Jose Mourinho has shared his honest thoughts on how last week’s Europa League final will shape the futures of both Tottenham and Manchester United.

Tottenham ended a 17-year wait for a major trophy with a narrow 1-0 win over Manchester United in what many described as a dull final. The victory not only gave Spurs long-awaited silverware, but it also secured them a place in next season’s Champions League—despite a poor Premier League campaign.

For Manchester United, it was a bitter end to a season that had already fallen apart. Under new manager Ruben Amorim and his predecessor Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils finished 15th in the league and missed out on European football altogether.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Mourinho—who has previously managed both clubs—admitted the final result will have a “huge impact” for each side.

“Tottenham play Champions League and of course for Mr Levy, the millions the Champions League gives, for him it’s the best news,” Mourinho said.

“For the fans, the players and Ange, it’s a title. Yes, the game was not amazing, but they made history for Tottenham because Tottenham didn’t have a trophy for so many years.”

But Mourinho didn’t stop there. He spoke about the serious consequences for Manchester United, who will now spend next season without any European football—something that hasn’t happened to the club in years.

“From what I read – just what I read – the impact on United of course is huge in the sense of, for how many years has United not been involved in any European competition?” he added.

Despite the painful defeat, Mourinho offered some encouragement for United boss Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese manager only joined the club six months ago but is expected to be given more time to fix things.

Mourinho recalled a similar experience from early in his own coaching career when he took over Porto midway through the season.

“I read some quotes from him saying he’s happy he came and already had these six months,” said Mourinho.
“When I went to Porto, the same thing happened. I went in January and we had a difficult six months—we struggled even to qualify for the UEFA Cup. And then, we saw what happened.”

He added that the final left him feeling torn, as he has close ties to both clubs and knows both managers well.

“I was divided because on one side I love United and I have a fantastic relationship with Ruben.
But on the other side, I saw Sonny [Son Heung-min] crying with the cup… also for Tottenham fans it was a special feeling.”

Mourinho, now 62, managed Manchester United from 2016 to 2018 and Tottenham from 2019 to 2021. He is currently managing Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

Meanwhile, despite guiding Spurs to a historic win, manager Ange Postecoglou has not been given full backing by the club’s board and may still face the sack.

In contrast, Manchester United seem prepared to stick by Amorim and give him a real chance to turn things around—just as Mourinho once did at Porto.