By OLUWASEUN ADEBOLU
9,500 fans will be present at the Europa League final in Gdansk tonight, as we shape up for the first of two European finals with small crowds permitted.
Poland has recorded fewer COVID cases in the past 14 days than the UK and strict measures are in place tonight to minimise the spread of coronavirus. UEFA will, of course, be measuring how tonight and Saturday’s Champions League showdown goes down ahead of this summer’s festival of football, Euro 2020.
The big team news for Manchester United continues to be dominated by captain, Harry Maguire, who’s unlikely to make the game tonight – unless Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been playing some elite mind games. The man affectionately known as Slabhead has been recovering from ankle ligament damage, as Gareth Southgate sweats on his fitness, too. That leaves Eric Bailly to partner Victor Lindelof at the heart of the Red Devils’ backline.
They’ll most likely sit in front of David De Gea – left on the bench in 2017’s Europa League final – as he’s now the cup keeper behind Dean Henderson. Fred and Scott McTominay are two other doubts for the midfield but should be fit.
Marcus Rashford – shockingly – might only make the bench tonight. Bruno Fernandes is a shoe-in to start and Mason Greenwood is in phenomenal form. Edinson Cavani has been reliable of late too, leaving that left-wing spot between Paul Pogba and Rashford.
Anthony Martial is also out injured. Amad Diallo is likely to step up in his place on the bench.
Vincent Iborra is the big casualty for Villarreal’s side tonight and won’t make the game.
Samuel Chukwueze, who went off injured at the Emirates Stadium in the Europa League semi-final, could feature. Juan Foyth, on loan from Tottenham, was suspended for that game but has since picked up a hamstring injury. Unai Emery may risk both of them but is more likely to name captain Mario Gaspar and teen sensation Yeremy Pino in the pair’s absence.
Like United, Villarreal have a cup keeper. Geronimo Rulli used to play for the blue half of Manchester and is likely to get the nod ahead of first-choice Sergio Asenjo.
When Unai Emery last favoured his second-choice glovesman in a Europa League final, some say it came back to bite him: Petr Cech let in four goals against Chelsea before joining them as a technical director after the game ..
