Brennan Johnson’s first-half strike secured a hard-fought victory for Spurs in Bilbao, ending their 17-year wait for a trophy and marking their first European triumph in over four decades.
Throughout the match, Maguire and Romero clashed multiple times as United desperately sought an equalizer against Tottenham’s resolute defense. ..Continue Reading
One of their encounters resulted in Maguire receiving a booking, leaving Romero on the ground in visible discomfort.
Tensions boiled over again after the final whistle.
As Spurs players and staff flooded the pitch in celebration, Romero—who captained the side with Son Heung-min on the bench—approached several United players, seemingly offering handshakes.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou also displayed sportsmanship, personally acknowledging each United player despite the celebrations.
Romero greeted United boss Ruben Amorim before turning to Maguire, extending his hand, only for the England defender to reject the gesture.
The Argentine then moved toward Diogo Dalot, placing an arm around him, which further irritated Maguire.
Frustrated, Maguire shoved Romero away from his teammate, gesturing for him to return to his own squad, prompting backroom staff to intervene and separate them.
Despite his anger toward Romero, Maguire was later seen congratulating his former Leicester City teammate James Maddison, who missed the match due to injury.
United’s defeat means they will miss out on European football next season, while Tottenham will join the Premier League’s top five in the competition.
With fewer fixtures on the calendar, Amorim will have more time to work with his squad on the training ground—something he has long emphasized as crucial to his approach.
‘It’s hard to talk about positives today but we need to take advantage of everything,’ Amorim said.
‘We are going to suffer because we don’t have Champions League and it’s hard on the club, but on the other side we will have more time to develop the team, to pay attention to our academy and to prepare for the future.
‘That is clear. We need to use every minute to improve the team and we always have plans to go to the summer.’
