In a shocking turn of events, fans of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were seen engaging in violent brawls on the streets of Bilbao before and after the Europa League final.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism online, with many describing it as a 'national embarrassment'.
A showpiece event marred by violence
Approximately 70,000 football fans travelled from England to Spain for this highly anticipated event. While most fans maintained decorum, a small fraction resorted to violence that quickly went viral online.
Some local residents captured footage showing supporters from both sides throwing missiles at each other on a narrow street. The situation escalated rapidly into physical altercations.
Despite the swift intervention of local police to restore order, no arrests were made, and no serious injuries were reported. This lack of punitive action has led to frustration among some social media users.
The unruly actions exhibited by these fans have drawn significant backlash online. Many social media users labelled these supporters as 'idiots' and 'scumbags', accusing them of disrespecting the city hosting their teams' crucial match.
High-stakes UEL final ends in Tottenham glory
Amidst this chaos, emotions ran high during the match between Spurs and Manchester United at San Mames. Ange Postecoglou's side managed to salvage their poor domestic season with a first-half goal scored by Brennan Johnson securing their victory.
However, despite this European triumph, there remains a lot of speculation about Ange Postecoglou's future at the club. The Australian kept his promise that he always wins a trophy in his second season, and now Tottenham will play in the UEFA Champions League next term.
On the other hand, Ruben Amorim's team will have to face next season without any European football fixtures following this defeat. This loss marks another low point for Manchester United, who sit 16th in the Premier League, having conceded defeat in 18 league matches - their worst performance since losing 20 matches in the 1973/74 season.
This victory in Bilbao marks Tottenham's fourth win over Manchester United across all competitions this season, following two league clashes and a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie.
Their first encounter saw the North London side thrash United 3-0, while the subsequent matches were closely contested, ending with scores of 4-3 and 1-0.
