Villarreal boss Unai Emery could become the first manager to win either the Uefa Cup or Europa League four times if his team outwits Manchester United in the 2020/21 Europa League final on Wednesday night.
On the other hand, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is contesting only his second final in his managerial career having won the 2013 Norwegian Cup with Molde. Solskjaer would be the first Norwegian manager to win a major European trophy.
Villarreal are not certain whether Nigerian star Samuel Chukuweze will be fit to face Manchester United while Tottenham Hotspurs loanee Juan Foyth could miss the game due to a hamstring issue. As Etienne Capoue is back, Emery will have no Vicente Iborra for the game in Poland.
For Manchester United, Anthony Martial and Phil Jones will not be available while captain Harry Maguire is doubtful for the game.
Villarreal and Manchester United will face off for the fifth time, with each of the previous four meetings finishing 0-0 in the Champions League between 2005-06 and 2008-09. Manchester United have faced Villarreal more times without ever scoring than they have any other opponent in their history.
This will be Manchester United’s eighth major European final, the second-most of any English club after Liverpool (14). They have been crowned winners in five of their previous seven finals, losing only against Barcelona in the Champions League in both 2008-09 and 2010-11.
Villarreal have reached a major European final for the first time in their history, becoming the 11th different Spanish side to do so. The previous two Spanish sides to reach a major European final for the first time also faced an English opponent in that match (Alaves 4-5 Liverpool in the 2000-01 Uefa Cup and Sevilla 4- 0 Middlesbrough in the 2005-06 Uefa Cup.
On each of the last nine occasions of a Spanish side facing English opposition in a European competition final (including Super Cups), the Spanish club has won the match. The last to lose were Alaves against Liverpool in the 2000-01 Uefa Cup.
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