Tottenham 'need' Europa League win, says Van de Ven

Spurs have gone 17 years without lifting major silverware since winning the EFL Cup under Juande Ramos in 2008.

Since then, they have lost three further EFL Cup finals and the 2019 Champions League showpiece versus Liverpool, while finishing as Premier League runners-up in 2016-17.

Next Wednesday, they go to Bilbao to face Manchester United in their sixth major European final, having beaten Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

And while Van de Ven knows the prize of Champions League football is crucial for a team languishing in 17th place domestically, he says the trophy itself is what fans desire.

"Of course, it's nice that you play Champions League next year, but we need to win the trophy," he told TNT Sports.

"The fans say, 'we haven't won a trophy for a long time', and we want to be the group to give them something special to celebrate. We are the guys that want to change that."

Getting to work at Hotspur Way @BetMGMUK pic.twitter.com/A7ReMqCE0E

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 14, 2025

Over the history of the two main European competitions – the European Cup/Champions League and the UEFA Cup/Europa League – there have been 19 finals involving two teams from the same country.

This will be the sixth between two English clubs – more than any other country – and the first since Chelsea beat Manchester City in the Champions League in 2021.

Spurs have already beaten United three times this season – twice in the Premier League and once in the EFL Cup. They are the first team to win three separate games against the Red Devils in a single campaign in all competitions since Chelsea in 2012-13.

But Van de Ven does not believe those results will have any bearing on the final, saying: "I wouldn't say it's an advantage. Those were games in the past.

"This is a final and in a final, anything can happen. We won three times against them, hopefully we can do the same thing for the final."

Preparing for the big day #UEL pic.twitter.com/fwFDQQ2W37

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 13, 2025

Ange Postecoglou's future as Tottenham boss is uncertain regardless of next Wednesday's result, but Van de Ven believes the Australian deserves credit for taking them this far.

"The gaffer made sure we stayed together at all times. It's been a tough season, everybody was doubting us, now we've proved them wrong – we reached the final," he added.

"The gaffer is believing in us every time, over and over again, and you can see that.