Olympique Lyon, Aston Villa, Midtjylland, FC Porto, Real Betis, Braga, Freiburg, and AS Roma are the elite eight that secured direct qualification. By finishing at the top of the table, these clubs successfully avoid the additional two-legged playoff round in February.

While the standings remained relatively stable for most of the evening, Ludogorets provided the night’s biggest surge. Starting the day on the outside looking in, the Bulgarian side fought their way into the knockout playoff zone with a crucial 1-0 home victory, keeping their European dreams alive.

FC Porto also made a statement, defeating Rangers 3-1 to solidify their place among the top eight. Meanwhile, AS Roma provided the most dramatic finish of the night; despite being reduced to 10 men, the Italians gritted out a vital draw against Panathinaikos to narrowly claim the eighth and final direct qualification spot.

While logic might suggest the Champions League winners should always be favored, the history of this one-off match has shown that the Europa League champions are more than capable of springing an upset.

The last team to achieve this feat was Atletico Madrid in 2018. In a thrilling contest in Tallinn, the Europa League holders, led by Diego Simeone, faced their fierce rivals, Real Madrid, fresh off their Champions League triumph. The match turned into a roller coaster of emotions, finishing 4-2 in extra time thanks to goals from Diego Costa, Saul Niguez, and Koke.

With that victory, Atletico Madrid not only lifted the trophy but also proved that grit and determination can overcome pedigree, sealing one of the most memorable wins for a team coming from Europe’s second-tier competition.

How many times have the Europa League representative beat the Champions League winner?

Throughout the history of the UEFA Super Cup, winners of the UEFA Cup/Europa League have managed to prevail on seven occasions. This is even more notable when considering that in the early years of the competition, there wasn’t a direct link between the European Cup champions and the Cup Winners’ Cup, the forerunner of the UEFA Cup/Europa League.

Here is the complete list of UEFA Cup/Europa League winners defeating Champions League holders:

• Ajax (1973): The first UEFA Cup champions to win the UEFA Super Cup, defeating AC Milan, champions of the European Cup.
• Anderlecht (1976): Beat Bayern Munich.
• Juventus (1984): Defeated Liverpool.
• Parma (1993): Overcame AC Milan.
• Liverpool (2001): Topped Bayern Munich.
• Zenit Saint Petersburg (2008): Beat Manchester United.
• Atletico Madrid (2012): Defeated Chelsea.
• Atletico Madrid (2018): Most recent winners from the Europa League to claim the trophy, beating Real Madrid.

The UEFA Super Cup is a reminder that in soccer, pedigree and history do not always guarantee victory. Clubs emerging from the Europa League, motivated by the chance to prove themselves against the continent’s giants, have written some of the competition’s most thrilling chapters.

Who holds the most titles in the competition?

While Europa League winners have delivered historic shocks, the Super Cup’s honors list is dominated by Champions League royalty. Real Madrid lead the way with six titles, followed closely by AC Milan and Barcelona with five each, showing that despite the epic triumphs of clubs from Europe’s secondary tournament, the competition’s history has largely been shaped by the continent’s most decorated teams.

Crystal Palace will not participate in the UEFA Europa League, despite earning their spot by winning the 2024–25 FA Cup, as reported by Ben Jacobs. The setback arises from a conflict involving their owner, John Textor, who also owns Olympique Lyonnais.

Both clubs secured places in the 2025 UEFA Europa League, but UEFA rules restrict owners from having multiple teams in the same competition. Consequently, the English side will compete in the UEFA Conference League, while the French side maintains its position in the Europa League.

“The CFCB First Chamber pursued the assessment of the documentation submitted by Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace and concluded that the clubs breached, as at 1 March 2025, the multi-club ownership criteria foreseen in Art 5.01 of the UEFA Club Competition Regulations,” UEFA reported.

Moreover, Nottingham Forest, who secured a spot in the UEFA Conference League, will be promoted to the UEFA Europa League. Despite this decision, Crystal Palace still have the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The exclusion has sparked controversy, especially since just 12 months ago, Girona FC and Manchester City faced a similar situation and both ended up competing in the UEFA Champions League.

Why did Olympique Lyonnais get the UEFA Europa League spot over Crystal Palace?

Despite sharing the same ownership, Olympique Lyonnais of France’s Ligue 1 secured a spot in the UEFA Europa League over English Premier League side Crystal Palace. This decision adheres to the Multi-Club Ownership Rules, which state that the team finishing higher in its respective league claims the coveted European competition berth.

In this case, Lyon clinched sixth place in the French league, outperforming Crystal Palace’s 12th-place finish in the Premier League. The French side’s financial stability came under scrutiny, but the DNCG, France’s financial watchdog, chose not to relegate the team despite financial issues. Consequently, they retained their position and celebrated their Europa League participation.

No team had ever previously won all three of UEFA’s club tournaments, making Chelsea the first to achieve this historic treble. Before winning the 2025 Conference League, they had been Champions League winners twice (2012 and 2021) and Europa League champions twice as well (2013 and 2019).

Wednesday’s match at the Wrocław Stadium will go down in the history of Chelsea and European soccer. The Blues had fallen behind early after a goal from Abde in the 9th minute, and the outlook looked bleak, as Betis had successfully neutralized their key strengths and dictated the pace of the game.

However, the second half told a different story, showcasing the individual brilliance of Chelsea’s stars. Enzo Fernandez scored the equalizer after an assist from Cole Palmer, who later also set up a goal for Nicolas Jackson. As the match neared its conclusion and with their opponents fully committed to attack, Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo extended the lead.

How many titles have Chelsea won in their history?

The UEFA Conference League is the 10th international title for Chelsea and the 37th overall in the club’s history. Outside of England, they had previously won the UEFA Champions League in 2012 and 2021, the Europa League in 2013 and 2019, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971 and 1998, the UEFA Super Cup in 1998 and 2021, and the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup.

Domestically, the Blues have won 27 titles. The most significant are their six league championships (five in the Premier League era and one earlier, in 1955). Those are followed by eight FA Cup titles, five English Football League Cups, four Community Shields, two Full Members’ Cups, and two Second Division titles.

Which teams are close to matching Chelsea’s record?

The list of clubs that have won both the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League is extensive. The former has been played since the 1955-56 season, while the latter had its first edition in 1971-72, giving both tournaments over 50 years of coexistence.

Real Madrid top the list with 15 Champions League titles and two Europa League wins. Bayern Munich have claimed Europe’s top competition six times and the secondary one once; Liverpool have six Champions League trophies and three Europa Leagues. The list continues with other giants such as Inter Milan, Manchester United, Juventus, Feyenoord, Porto, and Ajax.

However, the creation of the Conference League in the 2021-22 season opened a new universe of possibilities, allowing clubs with less continental pedigree to compete in Europe. Chelsea became the fourth team to win the tournament, joining AS Roma, West Ham United, and Olympiacos.

Son, as captain of the English side, was the one who lifted the trophy at San Mames Stadium in Spain. However, unlike most of his teammates, he wasn’t wearing a medal around his neck. According to The Sun, this oddly happened because UEFA bosses did not have enough for everyone on the roster.

Television cameras even captured the moment when UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin exchanged a few words with the South Korean winger before handing him the trophy, prompting a slight smile—possibly a nod to the unusual situation.

Son wasn’t the only Tottenham player spotted without a medal during the celebrations. At least two more teammates were in the same situation: Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur. However, judging by their expressions and demeanor, they didn’t seem particularly upset.

Other key figures did receive medals

James Maddison, for example, did get his medal. The English midfielder missed the final stretch of Tottenham’s campaign, including Wednesday’s final, due to a knee injury. Still, he was on the field with the squad and, unlike Son, Romero, and Bentancur, didn’t miss out due to the shortage.

Interestingly, all eight members of the officiating crew assigned to the final also received medals. That included lead referee Felix Zwayer of Germany, assistant referees Robert Kempter and Christian Dietz, fourth official Maurizio Mariani, reserve referee Daniele Bindoni, and VAR officials Bastian Dankert, Benjamin Brand, and Carlos del Cerro Grande.

Son earns the first club title of his career

Despite not receiving a medal—at least not yet, until UEFA corrects the oversight—Heung-min Son has plenty of reason to celebrate. This marks the first club trophy of his professional career, ending a 16-year drought that began when he made his debut with Hamburg. Before this UEFA Europa League title, the South Korean winger had finished runner-up with Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League and the 2021 English Football League Cup.

On the international stage, Son has already enjoyed success with South Korea U-23, winning the 2018 Asian Games. Individually, he’s built a decorated resume: eight-time Player of the Year in his country, top scorer in both the Premier League and the FA Cup, and a 2020 FIFA Puskas Award winner for Goal of the Year.

The 2024-25 UEFA Europa League final, against Manchester United, marks an important opportunity for Tottenham Hotspur. They carry the weight of one of the longest trophy droughts among Europe’s top clubs. While they’ve come close in recent years, their last major title win came over 17 years ago.

Spurs last lifted a trophy on February 24, 2008, when they defeated Chelsea 2-1 after extra time in the League Cup. The match was played at Wembley Stadium. It was Tottenham’s first trophy since their 1999 League Cup triumph.

The 2008 final saw Chelsea take the lead in the first half through a Didier Drogba free kick. Tottenham equalized in the 70th minute with a penalty from Dimitar Berbatov. In extra time, it was defender Jonathan Woodgate who became the unlikely hero, scoring the winning goal in the 94th minute after his header rebounded off Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Juande Ramos was the manager during that campaign and he was able to lift a title despite only overseeing the team for 54 matches. Among the players of that final, we can mention Paul Robinson, Alan Hutton, Ledley King, Pascal Chimbonda, Robbie Keane and Berbatov.

Tottenham’s finals in recent years

Since then, Spurs have made it to two finals: the 2019 Champions League against Liverpool and the 2021 EFL Cup versus Manchester City, but came up short on both occasions. They lost 2-0 to Liverpool, and were defeated 1-0 by City.

The club’s major honours include eight FA Cups, four League Cups, and three European titles, the last of which came in 1984 when they won the UEFA Cup. Their most recent FA Cup title dates back to 1991. With a Europa League final now at hand, Tottenham are aiming to end their long wait for another addition to the trophy cabinet.

Everything is set for the 2024-25 Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. As the lineups have been confirmed, Spurs star Heung-min Son will be on the bench for the crucial match.

The forward has struggled with a foot injury since early April after the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals against Eintracht Frankfurt. The 32-year-old played some minutes against Crystal Palace, playing 32 minutes, and Aston Villa, in which he played almost 80 minutes, in the Premier League, but hasn’t been able to play a full 90 minutes since his recovery.

With his status in doubt, Son said ahead of the match, that he felt “ready” to play against United. “I’m ready. I didn’t expect to play that long [against Villa], but physically I’m ready to go, and also the boys are ready to go for the biggest game of the season,” he told reporters.

Ange Postecoglou, meanwhile, also said that Son was available. “Well, he’s ready and he’s available. He started today. They’re all ready to start, so I think him playing 70-75 minutes today was important,” the coach explained.

However, it seems like he decided that it was best to put him as a substitute in case he is needed, instead of forcing him from the start. The South Korea international has 11 goals and 12 assists in all competitions this season.

Tottenham’s lineup vs Manchester United

The lineup of the Spurs for the Europa League final: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr, Johnson, Solanke, Richarlison. Meanwhile, on the bench: Austin, Whiteman, Spence, Danso, Davies, Gray, Moore, Ajayi, Odobert, Tel, Son, Scarlett.

In a tightly contested match, Manchester United started strong, controlling the pace early on. However, Tottenham struck a decisive blow in the 42nd minute when Pape Sarr delivered a perfect cross that Brennan Johnson converted into the game’s only goal.

The second half saw an intense push from the Red Devils, desperately searching for an equalizer. But Tottenham’s resilient defense stood firm, thwarting every United attempt and securing the win without the need for extra time.

It’s a night charged with history as Tottenham and Manchester United face off in the 2025 final. Two giants, one glittering trophy and a spotlight not only on the players but also on the figure charged with keeping order.

Finals of this magnitude demand more than just skill and grit. The man in the middle must command respect, maintain control and handle the pressure with precision. With tensions high, the referee’s role becomes crucial.

As both clubs chase the UEFA Europa League glory, all eyes will inevitably turn to the official tasked with making the calls. The appointment has sparked debate and curiosity, raising questions about experience, past controversies and style.

Who is the referee for the UEFA Europa League 2025 final?

German referee Felix Zwayer has been appointed to oversee the 2025 UEFA Europa League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, according to official sources.

Born in Berlin in 1981, he has been a FIFA-listed official since 2012 and has officiated in major tournaments, including World Cup qualifiers and the UEFA Champions League.

Despite this, UEFA has entrusted him with officiating this high-stakes final. His experience in international tournaments and familiarity with VAR technology, including roles in the 2018 World Cup.

Assisting him on the pitch will be his German compatriots Robert Kempter and Christian Dietz as assistant referees. Italian Maurizio Mariani has been appointed as the fourth official, bringing his own wealth of experience to the team.

In the VAR room, Bastian Dankert will serve as the video assistant referee, with Christian Dingert and Carlos del Cerro Grande acting as assistant VARs. This diverse and seasoned team is tasked with ensuring the match is conducted fairly and smoothly, reflecting UEFA’s commitment to high officiating standards.

Every season, the UEFA Europa League crowns a new champion—but the trophy isn’t the only prize at stake. Beyond glory, the winners unlock doors to elite European football, often reshaping their club’s immediate future.

It’s not just a celebratory parade and silverware. A Europa League victory can redraw a team’s calendar, inject their finances with millions and place them on a collision course with Europe’s heavyweights.

As the confetti settles and the champagne fades, bigger questions arise: what lies ahead for these newly crowned kings of the second-tier? The answer, as always in soccer, leads to more than one competition.

Which tournaments await the UEFA Europa League winners?

Winning the UEFA Europa League is more than just a prestigious title, it serves as a gateway to elite competitions. Since the 2014/15 season, the champions have secured a direct entry into the UEFA Champions League group stage for the following season.

In addition to the Champions League, the winners are granted a spot in the UEFA Super Cup, where they face the Champions winners in a one-off match. This annual fixture serves as the traditional curtain-raiser for the club season.

However, there is an important contingency. If the Europa League winner has already qualified for the Champions League through their domestic league performance, UEFA doesn’t allow the group stage spot to go to waste.

Instead, this place is passed down to the next eligible club based on UEFA’s coefficients or league rankings, preserving the soccer competition’s balance and integrity. This system ensures that winning the league remains a valuable path to multiple prestigious opportunities, both financially and competitively.

The UEFA Europa League has evolved into more than just a second-tier soccer tournament. With rising viewership and fierce competition, the financial rewards on offer have become just as intense as the matches themselves.

While Champions League riches often steal the spotlight, the Europa League‘s prize pot is no small treasure. Each round brings in more than just glory—there’s serious money at play, and clubs are well aware of what’s at stake.

For the 2025 edition, the buzz is already building. Beyond the trophy and prestige, a deeper question lingers: how much do the champions truly earn once the final whistle blows and the confetti settles?

What is the UEFA Europa League prize money?

The winner of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League will earn a total prize of around €25.7 million (roughly £22.1 million), combining base payments, match bonuses and a significant final victory bonus, according to official sources.

Each of the 36 clubs that reached the group stage received a guaranteed €4.31 million as a participation fee, distributed in two payments, with extra earnings coming from match wins (€450,000 per victory) and draws (€150,000 each).

Advancing through knockout rounds boosts the payout, culminating in a €6 million bonus awarded specifically for winning the final itself, according to sources like AS US.

This prize money not only rewards the sporting success but also paves the way for entry into the UEFA Champions League, which can add substantial additional revenues through broadcasting rights and sponsorships.

Does the UEFA Europa League runner-up have prize money?

Yes, the Europa League runner-up receives a sizable reward — approximately €19.7 million (about £17.3 million), which includes a fixed amount for reaching the final plus performance bonuses accumulated in earlier stages.

Specifically, the losing finalist is awarded €5.9 million for their appearance in the final itself, combined with additional earnings from victories and draws in the group and knockout phases.

This payout underscores UEFA’s effort to compensate clubs for deep runs in the tournament, even without lifting the trophy. While notably less than the champion’s prize, this sum still represents a vital financial boost for many clubs.