Manchester United takes on Spurs in a Make-Or-Break Europa League Final Clash in Bilbao on Wednesday evening, but the Red Devils are going a slightly new look for the sport match
Manchester United is forced to change their traditional kit before the Europa League final. The Red Devils will take the Premier League rival traces in Bilbao on Wednesday evening.
The competition gives Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou the chance to claim silverware at the end of difficult seasons, while the Victor will also claim a place in the Champions League of next season. Each party has already arrived in Spain prior to the Wednesday evening game.
But United will have a somewhat unknown appearance when they enter the field at San Mames. It has been announced that Amorim's silk will wear black shorts – unlike their traditional white – in addition to their famous red shirts and black socks.
That is due to the 64-year-old European tradition of Spurs. The North London side has worn very white in Europe since 1961, a tradition that former boss Bill Nicholson has been adopted.
And with Spurs that is dubbed as the 'home' team for the competition, their kit choice has priority over that of United. The reason behind the all-white kit tradition of Spurs started more than six decades ago, with Nicholson trying to increase visibility for his players in stadiums who do not have the best lighting facilities.
It started in an away game to polish the Gornik side. “We just came to the dressing room for the game and there was the all-white kit,” said former Spurs star Cliff Jones. “Nobody said anything; nothing was said to us. We just focused on the coming game.”
Ricky George, at the time a young student, added: “The all -white kit was for visibility. It was Bill Nick's way of looking for that marginal win. Those nights in White Hart Lane, under the lights, were just very special.”
“We thought it was great to play in completely white,” said Jones. “To be honest, I can't say for sure that the only difference made to show each other better among the spotlights, but we loved to play in it. European nights we felt fresher, the sky was different.”
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The Europa League final is not the first time that United has opted for a small change in the kit during the season. They also wore black shorts during their exchange trip to Real Sociedad in March – a match that ended 1-1 after goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Mikel Oyarzabal.
However, they returned to their more traditional white shorts during the home leg at Old Trafford-a competition that won the Red Devils 4-1 thanks to a hat trick from Bruno Fernandes. Regardless of the kit they wear, United will be desperate to win the final and thus seal their return to the Champions League.