When Manchester United rises the San Mames -Turf on Wednesday evening to see the Premier League rivals Tottenham, the pressure on the shoulders of the players will be to deliver a trophy in what else is a bleak season.
Ruben Amorim will know better than most of the most important how important the Europa League final is for the Football Club of Manchester United. In addition to a European trophy and qualification for next season's Champions League, winning the Europa League will be transforming for the club's finances and make them a much more attractive side to connect this summer.
It is also an important final for Amorim's United career that, although still in its infancy, is already under increasing pressure.
The Portuguese made a brave decision when he left sporting CP for a club in a much weaker position on and next to the field halfway through the season. At that time, Sporting flew high in the interior and in Europe, and the possibilities for the season were endless.
However, Amorim had ambitions to coach one of the world's largest clubs and to become the man to end the man Utd manager Curse. Managers before Amorim with great egos, however, believed that they could be the coach to change the Fortuin of United, so why would it be different for him?
After all, the majority owners of the club were and are still the glassers, the finances are tighter than ever, and the team is a long way free of competitive.
In general it has been a nightmare-like start for the young Portuguese coach with the Red Devils a hardly credible 16th 16th in the Premier League after he had been beaten out of the FA Cup in the fifth round and lost to their Europa League-last opponents Tottenham in the Carabao Cup Quarterals.
For United there has been an air of inevitability to lose on a Sunday afternoon after winning the Europa League on Thursday evening. No matter how well Amorim the side game of Amorim in the Premier League, the result ends in a draw or, more often, beating.
There have been eight profit-free league matches since Amorim's Reds defeated Leicester City in mid-March, and it has been a form of form that this season has confirmed as the worst in the Premier League history of United.
There are no apologies – this season has been a failure and everyone at the club must be held responsible.
Under the darkness, however, a flickering light comes forward.
After a combination of happiness, a few clutch moments and finding life more easily against teams outside the British coasts, United is one victory away from European glory.
That flickering light will go out if United will lose from Spurs next Wednesday evening, but if they win, it will shine clear again. A happy reset, perhaps, but a crucial for the trajectory of the unstable future of the club.
Two very different paths are waiting for the future of United, depending on the outcome of the most important game of the last decade. Loss, and the pressure on Amorim from at least one of the following season will be huge. Win, and it will be like a reset for the club, not to mention the fact that Champions League will wait.
Champions League football will seduce bigger names
As is the case for a long time, a club has qualified for the Champions League a negotiation vessel in negotiations that other parties do not do. The best players want to play in the most important European competition, and only settle for less in rare cases if they are cleverly paid.
So it goes without saying that Omar Bercrada and Co. Will have better options in the market if United wins this week, because they want to rebuild a team that has been proven not to be good enough for the Premier League.
While Matehus Cunha van Wolves and Liam Delap from the city of Ipswich are both reportedly close to participation, Amorim's side needs much more to be competitive next season.
On paper they should both be good signing sessions, with Cunha a particularly exciting prospect, but United needs two attacking wing trays, a physical midfielder, a goalkeeper and an experienced striker if they want to be competitive next season.
That may sound like a lot, but for this side to entertain Champions League football in the next Old Trafford campaign, an overhaul is needed.
The only players who have done enough to earn a starting place next season are Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo.
Amad speaks prior to the Finalgyn Kirk / AFP / Statspleform
It is slim pickings.
It is worth remembering that Sir Jim Ratcliffe canceled the lid in March of the financial misery of United when he said in an interview that the club would have gone without austerity.
So while winning the Europa League could be vital for the club's finances, the funds available to Amorim will not be unlimited. United cannot get out of trouble as easily as their city rivals, so being smart with the money available to them is crucial.
There can be no mistakes if the club wants better than this next season. And for the leap of the belief that Amorim made when he sports, the hierarchy has the responsibility to get things right this summer.
Of course their ability to do that as effectively as possible depends on the outcome of the Europa League final.
If Manchester United Spurs can beat at the age of four, Amorim will have made his work and attention will focus on the CEO to ensure that a domestic season such as 2024/25 will never happen again.
Because if United wins the Europa League and Amorim does not get the profile of players he needs for a physically demanding system, then it should be Bercrada and not Amorim who is not going to go to plan.
If it does not come to Bilbao, United fans must prepare for the worst. A much less inspiring transfer window and a popular manager under enormous pressure to deliver results next season is a recipe for toxicity at a club that becomes synonymous with it.
Ruben Amorim speaks prior to the Europa League Finaloli Scarff / AFP / StatsPerform
Ecstasy or despair? A monumental final waiting
A monumental final is waiting for Manchester United in Bilbao, and the traveling fans (above someone else) who have seen their side are defeated than someone who could have imagined last August deserve this one victory.
For all long and painful roads in England this season they have earned a great evening in Sunny Spain, an ocean away from the headache that teases their club at home.
Ignorance can be blissful for one memorable night in Bilbao. Right?
However, the defeat would be a dagger for a club that is already in disorder, and the fragile wheels can finally fall off, so that everything crashes and burns.
No pressure then, Mr. Amroim.
Follow the Europa League final with flash score.