Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are gearing up for a thrilling Europa League campaign, highlighted by a highly anticipated reunion with former manager José Mourinho. Both clubs discovered their opponents for the newly revamped competition, which has ditched the traditional group stage in favor of a league-style format.
Under the new UEFA structure, teams will face eight different opponents—four at home and four away—before the knockout rounds commence in early 2025. Among the standout fixtures is Manchester United’s clash with Fenerbahce, now managed by Mourinho. This encounter will mark the first time Mourinho faces United since his stint as Tottenham’s manager ended in April 2021. After taking the helm at Fenerbahce this summer, Mourinho failed to guide the Turkish side into the Champions League, making the Europa League his primary focus.
Both United and Spurs will also take on Rangers, adding another layer of excitement to the competition. The Scottish giants will visit Old Trafford sometime between September and December, while Tottenham will travel to Glasgow during the same period. The organizers will confirm the exact dates for these fixtures on Saturday.
United could also face familiar faces in Fenerbahce’s lineup, with former United midfielder Fred already in their ranks and Sofyan Amrabat reportedly close to joining before the Turkish transfer window closes on September 13. Fred, who has enjoyed a productive season in Istanbul, even scored his first career hat-trick in his most recent appearance.
San Mamés, home of Athletic Bilbao, will host the 2024-25 Europa League final on May 21, 2025. Manchester United have a storied history in this competition, having won it in 2017 under Mourinho’s guidance, defeating Ajax 2-0 in the final in Stockholm. Four years later, they narrowly missed out on a second title, losing to Villarreal on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Gdańsk under Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
Tottenham, two-time winners of the competition, lifted the inaugural UEFA Cup in 1972 and were champions again in 1984. Their last Europa League campaign in the 2020-21 season ended in a surprising exit at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb in the Round of 16, a defeat overseen by Mourinho.
Manchester United’s opponents for the league phase include Rangers (H), Porto (A), PAOK (H), Fenerbahce (A), Bodo/Glimt (H), Viktoria Plzeň (A), Twente (H), and Steaua București (A).
Tottenham’s schedule features matchups against Roma (H), Rangers (A), AZ Alkmaar (H), Ferencváros (A), Qarabağ (H), Galatasaray (A), Elfsborg (H), and Hoffenheim (A).
This year’s Europa League promises a series of exciting encounters, with plenty of history and rivalries ready to rekindle on Europe’s second-biggest stage.
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