2017 UEFA Europa League final

2017 UEFA Europa League Final
Match programme cover
Event2016–17 UEFA Europa League
Ajax Manchester United
Netherlands England
0 2
Date24 May 2017 (2017-05-24)
VenueFriends Arena, Solna, Stockholm
Man of the MatchAnder Herrera (Manchester United)[1]
RefereeDamir Skomina (Slovenia)[2]
Attendance46,961[3]
WeatherPartly cloudy
19 °C (66 °F)
44% humidity[4]
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The 2017 UEFA Europa League Final was the final match of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, the 46th season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 8th season since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup to the UEFA Europa League. It was played on 24 May 2017 at the Friends Arena in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden,[5] between Dutch side Ajax and English side Manchester United. Manchester United won the match 2–0 to secure their first title in this competition.[6] With this victory, they joined Juventus, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Chelsea as the only clubs to have won all three major European trophies (European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League, and the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup);[7] while, with this defeat, Ajax became the fifth club – after Hamburger SV, Fiorentina, Arsenal and Liverpool – to have lost a final in all these competitions.[8]

Manchester United earned the right to play against the winners of the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid, in the 2017 UEFA Super Cup. They also entered the group stage of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League, as the berth reserved for the Champions League title holders was not used.[9] Police of Stockholm took measures against potential terrorist attacks which they described as "the new normality", since two had occurred in Stockholm in 2010 and just a month before the final, and also prepared for potential clashes between supporters.[10]

It was United's last trophy for nearly six years until they defeated Newcastle United 2-0 to win the 2023 EFL Cup final.[11]

  1. ^ "Herrera named man of the match". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference referee was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference full_time was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Tactical Lineups – Final – Wednesday 24 May 2017" (PDF). UEFA.org. Union of European Football Associations. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Stockholm to host 2017 UEFA Europa League final". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Manchester United's Paul Pogba sets up Europa League final win over Ajax". Guardian. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Ajax 0 Manchester United 2". BBC Sport. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  8. ^ Roberto Di Maggio (18 February 2021). "International Finalists". Record Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  9. ^ "Champions League group place on offer for Ajax or Manchester United". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  10. ^ Hansell, Bengt (23 May 2017). "Polisen redo för Europa League-finalen efter dådet i Manchester – Nyheter (Ekot)". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  11. ^ McNulty, Phil (26 February 2023). "Manchester United 2-0 Newcastle United: Erik ten Hag's side win Carabao Cup for first trophy since 2017". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 February 2023.