Bilbao Reaches Fever Pitch as Man Utd & Spurs Face Off in Europa League Final

Bilbao is completely packed with thousands of British supporters who have created a fervent party atmosphere ahead of the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The city streets of the Basque capital are awash in red and white, filled with the sounds of chanting fans and flowing drinks.

An estimated 70,000 football enthusiasts have traveled from the UK to sunny Bilbao, bringing high spirits despite some enduring a lengthy 32-hour ferry journey to get there.

The bustling plazas and narrow cobbled streets of the Basque city have become a lively football festival, featuring passionate, often shirtless, fans singing team songs and setting off flares.

The stakes are incredibly high: for Tottenham, this is a chance to end their 16-year wait for a trophy and silence years of criticism. For Manchester United, coming off a difficult domestic season, this final represents a critical opportunity to restore pride and secure qualification for the Champions League.

With banners displayed, beers raised, and nerves on edge, supporters of both clubs know this match could define their season – either bringing success or increasing their disappointment.

Bars across Bilbao are packed with British fans chanting and drinking in anticipation of tonight`s match. Photos show fans from both sides marching through the streets, singing and holding drinks as they prepared for the final.

Some fans overdid the celebrations; one incident involved a local resident angrily confronting a boisterous United fan for putting flags on his balcony, while another United supporter was seen dancing naked on a balcony.

While the scene was mostly peaceful, minor clashes occurred in San Sebastian, about 60 miles away, where intoxicated fans exchanged punches in a side street. Disgraceful scenes saw chairs, glasses, and a metal table thrown as drunk rival fans clashed. Another confrontation between fan groups took place at a bar in Santander, a port city an hour`s drive west of Bilbao.

Video footage from the Siboney Cafe fight reportedly showed young Manchester United fans provoking two Tottenham supporters, believed to be a father and son. One individual gestured rudely at the pair, leading to a short burst of violence. The same group of Manchester United fans were reportedly involved in another fight soon after at a nearby bar named Tribeca.

Other images captured a Tottenham fan playing a trumpet for the large crowds, while Manchester United supporters raised their beers in celebration.

According to footage, streets were crowded with fans; approximately 70,000 supporters are estimated to have travelled to Spain, despite the stadium`s 53,000 capacity.

Some fans undertook an epic ferry journey lasting over 32 hours, departing Sunday evening and arriving only this morning. Due to flights to Spain exceeding £1,000 after the teams qualified, many chose the cheaper sea route, which cost around £260 for a cabin.

The high cost of flights is attributed to only having six direct flights daily from Britain to the Basque region`s industrial port city. With only 65 hotels in Spain`s tenth-largest city, accommodation was fully booked weeks in advance.

Both clubs have millions of global supporters, but with only 14,000 tickets allocated to each team, obtaining a seat for the final was very difficult. Valuable tickets for the final were being sold on the black market for up to £10,000 on Sunday night.