Manchester United have booked their place in the Europa League final after a gruelling 1-1 draw with Celta Vigo at Old Trafford.
Thanks to the 1-0 away victory over the Spanish side last week, United could afford to pick up yet another home draw and still progress.
United supporters have been singing about going to Stockholm all season, with the songs increasing in frequency and volume as the campaign has gone on and as their chances of finishing in the top four have diminished.
Another popular chant, on Thursday night as much as any other, is the one remembering the night in 1999 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored an injury-time goal against Bayern Munich to crown United champions of Europe .
The Red Devils have fallen some way since then, with supporters now getting excited over a place in the showpiece event of a lesser European competition. But if United beat Ajax, there is hope that the club’s glory days on the continent will return.
Jose Mourinho will be more relieved than any fan, though. He has clearly never been a fan of the Europa League, but the further United have progressed, the more he has seen its value.
It could, however, be argued that United's success in this competition has contributed to them relying on it so much; had they gone out at the group stage, the squad would not be struggling with the injuries and fatigue they currently are, and they would have been able to focus all their attention on the Premier League. United have played 60 games this season, while Chelsea have played just 43 games and Liverpool 45.
Still, given a choice between a top-four finish and lifting another trophy, most United fans would obviously opt for the silverware. Having already won the League Cup this season, Mourinho would surely settle for two trophies at the end of his first season. It will also appeal to his ego to bring the Europa League to Old Trafford: it is the final piece of the puzzle, the only trophy United have not yet won.
The manager’s satisfaction was visible at the final whistle. He stood in front of the Stretford End shouting, twirling a scarf that had been thrown on to the pitch and thumping the air. He knew just how badly that result was needed.
Mourinho has put all his eggs in one basket. Maybe that was unavoidable given how exhausted his players were. But the lacklustre display at the Emirates last weekend showed that the team has settled for a Europa League victory over a top-four finish.
United will fancy their chances of winning the competition now, too. Celta Vigo have not had a great league campaign but still managed to beat Real Madrid and Barcelona this season. They won 4-3 against the latter at home and 2-1 against Zinedine Zidane’s side at the Bernabeu.
Ajax also looked to be flying ahead of the second leg, but their 3-1 loss at the hands of Lyon shows they are beatable. They also only managed an away draw against Celta Vigo earlier in the competition, at a ground where United won 1-0 last week.
The stakes are huge but, if United win in Stockholm, their season will have been saved. Finishing fifth or sixth will matter little if there is the promise of Champions League football. In fact, Chelsea will be the only English club to have enjoyed a better season than United.
For Mourinho’s first year in charge, that would be more than acceptable, and would lay the foundations for what should be a much better Premier League campaign next term.
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