An all-English showdown in the Europa League final would normally be a thrilling prospect for most neutral Premier League fans. However, for one particular group of supporters—Arsenal’s faithful—it could create a situation that’s anything but enjoyable.
After a disappointing Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal’s hopes of finishing the season with silverware were dashed. Mikel Arteta’s side, despite their strong Premier League form, are now relying solely on their domestic league position to ensure qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Fortunately for the Gunners, the current structure allows the top five Premier League teams to qualify for Europe’s top competition. Arsenal, sitting second in the table, are comfortably within that bracket. Chelsea, meanwhile, occupy fifth place, holding a slim two-point lead over Nottingham Forest with just three matches remaining. That means both London clubs are on course for Champions League football—at least for now.
Yet there’s another storyline unfolding that Arsenal fans may not be thrilled about: the Europa League final, which could see Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United clash in Bilbao. Neither club is held in high regard by Arsenal supporters, making the final a nightmare to watch from a Gunners’ perspective. One way or another, a rival stands to gain, and that could have ripple effects.
Should both Tottenham and United finish outside the Premier League’s top five—an outcome that seems increasingly likely—the winner of the Europa League final would earn direct entry into the Champions League. While that scenario may not affect Arsenal’s qualification outright, it could impact the club’s standing in next season’s UEFA Champions League Pot 1 draw, which plays a key role in determining group-stage opponents.
Pot 1 is reserved for the Champions League titleholder, Europa League winner, and the top-ranked domestic league champions by UEFA coefficient. As of now, six of the nine Pot 1 slots are already filled. If Manchester City maintain their position in the top three and Chelsea secure Champions League qualification as expected, both clubs would also qualify for Pot 1 due to their high UEFA coefficients.
This leaves only one remaining Pot 1 slot up for grabs—and that’s where Arsenal could lose out. If Manchester United triumph in the Europa League final, they would claim that coveted Pot 1 spot. Arsenal, despite finishing second in the Premier League, would then drop into Pot 2, facing a potentially tougher slate of opponents in the group stage. On the other hand, if Tottenham were to win the final instead, Arsenal would benefit and move into Pot 1 themselves.
It’s a deeply uncomfortable situation for Arsenal supporters. In theory, rooting for Tottenham, their fiercest local rivals, could actually benefit their club’s Champions League prospects. But emotionally, the idea is unthinkable. Supporting Spurs, even by default, goes against every instinct in the red half of North London.
The irony is cruel: Arsenal fans, who usually have no stake in a Tottenham vs. Manchester United clash beyond schadenfreude, now find themselves in a position where the outcome matters more than ever. And unless Chelsea dramatically drop out of the top five in the final stretch of the season, the Gunners will have no choice but to consider the long-term implications of that Europa League final.
In the end, one of two chaotic clubs—Tottenham or United—will not only secure silverware but also a Champions League berth, making Arsenal’s path slightly more complicated. While the match in Bilbao may be billed as a celebration of English football, for Arsenal fans, it’s shaping up to be a 90-minute identity crisis.
