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How have English teams done in UEFA Cup and Europa League Finals?

Manchester United play in the Europa League Final on Wednesday night for the first time in their ...



How have English teams done in...
Soccer

How have English teams done in UEFA Cup and Europa League Finals?

Manchester United play in the Europa League Final on Wednesday night for the first time in their history.

Jose Mourinho's side face Ajax Amsterdam in Stockholm, looking to win the sole European trophy to evade them. If United win, they will become the eighth side to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League in either guise.

Since the tournament began in 1971, thirteen English teams have reached the final. Here is how they got on. 

1971-72: Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

The first UEFA Cup Final was an all-English affair between Spurs and Wolves. Irish defender Joe Kinnear was part of the Tottenham team that won the first leg 2-1 away at Molineux. Martin Chivers scored the two goals.

An Alan Mullery goal in the second leg, helped the home side to a 1-1 draw and a unique place in European footballing history.

1972-73: Liverpool 3-2 Borussia Monchengladbach

Years before Liverpool dominated in the European Cup, they had success in the UEFA Cup. Defeating Borussia Monchengladbach, the tie was dominated by the home teams.

Liverpool won 3-0 at Anfield, with Kevin Keegan scoring twice. In the second leg, the Germans won 2-0 but Bill Shankly's side held out to win.

1973-74: Feyenoord 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur

For the third season in a row, an English side reached the UEFA Cup Final, but Tottenham were the first side to lose in the decider.

A 2-2 draw in White Hart Lane left the tie finely balanced going to Rotterdam, but Feyenoord won 2-0 at home to become the first Dutch side to win the title.

1975-76: Liverpool 4-3 Club Brugge

A second title in four seasons, Liverpool won the UEFA Cup the season before they were crowned European Champions. Bob Paisley's side won 3-2 at home with Kevin Keegan scoring like he did three years previously.

A 1-1 draw in Belgium gave Liverpool their second European trophy, and first under Paisley.

Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes lifts the UEFA Cup following his team's 4-3 aggregate victory. Picture by: Peter Robinson/EMPICS Sport

1980-81: Ipswich Town 5-4 AZ Alkmaar

One of Ipswich Town's most golden periods, Bobby Robson's side won their only European title two years after winning the FA Cup.

A 3-0 win at home was the basis for the famous win. Robson's side lost 4-2 away from home with John Wark scoring the winning goal.

1983-84: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Anderlecht

The last final to involve an English team in the two-leg format, Spurs won their second UEFA Cup Final. In a team that involved Irish internationals Chris Hughton and Tony Galvin, Spurs became the fifth English side to win the title.

Both legs finished 1-1, but on front of a White Hart Lane crowd, Tottenham won a penalty shootout 4-3.

1999-2000: Galatasaray 0-0 Arsenal

Despite their early domination in the competition, it took an English team another 16 years to reach a final, with Arsenal playing in their first UEFA Cup Final.

The game in Copenhagen was a dour affair with the Turkish giants winning the penalty shootout 4-1. Davor Suker and Patrick Viera missed penalties for Arsenal while Galatasaray scored their opening four.

2000-01: Liverpool 5-4 Alaves

One of the best European finals in recent memory, Liverpool's 5-4 win over Alaves is the second highest-scoring final in a major European competition.

Never trailing in the match, Liverpool led 2-0, 3-1 and 4-3 before a Delfi Geli golden own goal gave Gerard Houllier's team a 5-4 win.

Liverpool were the last English side to win the UEFA Cup. Picture by: David Davies/PA Archive/PA Images

2005-06: Sevilla 4-0 Middlesbrough

The last English team to compete in a UEFA Cup Final, Steve McClaren's side were outclassed in Eindhoven. Despite the 4-0 defeat, the team were only trailing by a goal entering the last 15 minutes.

Two goals from Enzo Maresca, along with a late strike from Freddy Kanoute added to Luis Fabiano's goal to seal Sevilla's first UEFA Cup.

2009-10: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Fulham

Like Middlesbrough, four years previously, Fulham's run to the first ever Europa League Final was a fairytale for the club. Unlike their northern domestic rivals, Roy Hodgson's side could have won the game.

Against an Atletico Madrid team that included the likes David de Gea, Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero, it was a Forlan goal four minutes from the end of extra time the Spaniards the win.

2012-13: Chelsea 2-1 Benfica

The last English team to win the title, Chelsea briefly held both the Europa League and Champions League having won the main competition in Munich the year before.

Under Rafael Benitez, the London side won with an injury-time winner courtesy of Branislav Ivanović. Fernando Torres had scored the opening goal in the final as Chelsea never trailed.

2015-16: Sevilla 3-1 Liverpool

Last year's game in Basel saw Liverpool go into the game in a similar position that what awaits Manchester United. They needed to win to qualify for the Champions League.

Daniel Sturridge gave Jurgen Klopp's side the lead at half-time, before three second-half goals from Sevilla sealed the title. Kevin Gameiro scored inside the first 60 seconds before two goals from Coke helped the Spaniards to a third successive title.

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