Defoe sends surprise message to Arsenal ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League final
Tottenham are set to face Manchester United in the Europa League final, a game which will determine how their season ends up.
Spurs are 17th in the Premier League, but can secure Champions League qualification if they beat Man United, who have also had a woeful season.
This has raised a debate across the footballing world, over whether such a poor domestic season is worth it if Tottenham win a European trophy.
Tottenham legend Jermain Defoe has now given his verdict on whether Spurs lifting the Europa League would mean they have had a better season than rivals Arsenal, who finished second but failed to win any silverware.
Defoe calls for Tottenham to focus on themselves
Tottenham are desperate to win the Europa League in Bilbao, as it will end a 17-year trophy drought if they do so, and many believe that it will mean they had a better season than Arsenal.
Arsenal could not feature in the Europa League as they reached the Champions League semi-finals, and qualified for the competition again as they finished second.
| Competition | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Premier League | 37 | 11 | 5 | 21 |
Speaking to Mail Sport, Defoe claimed that while winning the Europa League would be brilliant for Tottenham, they need to focus on their own success rather than drawing comparisons with Arsenal.
“Focus on us. Focus on Tottenham. Don’t even worry about what Arsenal are doing, just focus on winning the Europa League, then we see what happens next year,” he stated.
“Arsenal have had a good season. Coming from a Tottenham man, they’ve had a good season.
“What an opportunity for Tottenham to do something special. Regardless of losing 20 games domestically, it’s still a chance.”
Tottenham need to improve next season
Even if Tottenham do win the Europa League, it has been such a miserable season from start to finish domestically that it should not be allowed to paper over the cracks.
Ange Postecoglou is under serious pressure, and Spurs will need to make drastic changes next season regardless of whether they beat Man United or not.
If Tottenham do win, they cannot afford to waste the opportunity of Champions League football, and must use this trophy as a springboard to success.
Although fans in Bilbao will be delighted if they win, the domestic form, and a potential 17th-place finish, cannot be allowed to happen again, and there can be no room for complacency over the summer.