Summary

  • De Gea misses decisive penalty in epic 11-10 penalty shootout win for Villarreal

  • Man Utd still searching for first trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

  • First ever major trophy for Villarreal - ex-Arsenal boss Unai Emery's fourth Europa League title

  1. 'I don't want to hear 'they were so close' because it means nothing'published at 00:14 British Summer Time 27 May 2021

    David de GeaImage source, PA Media

    Manchester United lost the Europa League 11-10 on penalties as David de Gea missed the only penalty to let Villarreal win the first trophy in their history.

    All the penalties had been scored until De Gea stepped up - after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes in Gdansk.

    De Gea has now failed to save his last 35 penalties... and missed one too.

    "There wasn't any conviction in it from David de Gea - there was no pace in the effort. If you're not confident always put your laces through it," said ex-United striker Dion Dublin on BBC Radio 5 Live.

    Three players came on purely for the penalties and all scored, including Alex Telles and Dani Raba - who did not have a touch before the shootout.

    Neil Lennon said: "There will a massive inquest at Manchester United now. There will be a lot of questions to answer. It should never have got to the point where your goalkeeper needs to keep you in a penalty shootout."

    Villarreal's ex-Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin said: "A penalty shootout is a lottery and we managed to win it.

    "It was a fairytale of the competition. To beat them in the final is something special."

    United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told BT Sport: "We're getting closer and closer and better. We were one kick away from a trophy and a good night."

    Striker Marcus Rashford said: "Villarreal won the Europa League, we finished second. For us it's nothing. I don't want to here 'they were so close' because it means nothing. One winner, one loser."

    What you said on texts and tweets

    Chet Kumar: "Penalties are the ABSOLUTE WORST way of deciding a game. It's not about Team vs Team but its about Individual vs Individual. Give them extra subs and let the game go on until one team scores. Feel sorry for DeGea - shouldn't have come down to him."

    Dharma Djojonegoro: "Dean Henderson would have scored. Or saved one. Or at least gotten close to saving one."

    Abid: "At 118 minutes Henderson should have replaced de gea. Psychologicaly it would have made villarreal nervous. Very bad decision from ole."

  2. Postpublished at 00:04 British Summer Time 27 May 2021

    That's the end of this live text, thanks for joining us tonight. I can finally drink my beer in peace.

    Download the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily here.

    I'll leave you with some of the best reaction to the game.

  3. 'A few signings can change everything'published at 00:00 British Summer Time 27 May 2021

    Keith Gillespie
    Former Manchester United winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    There has been progress since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over, but if you look at what Manchester City are doing you are actually falling further behind them and it feels like there isn't progress.

    A few signings can change everything. Sir Alex Ferguson getting his first trophy took the monkey off his back and gave him some time to go and build and then if you look at what he did after time. There's no reason Ole can't get the time, get the players in and kick on again next season.

  4. 'Second doesn't count for nothing'published at 23:58 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    More from Rashford: "People say a lot about Man Utd going downhill, blah, blah, blah, blah but for me, the club, desire, hunger, talent, ability, the squad, we have everything to compete at the highest level. We just have to show it to the world and ourselves, show why we belong in the top places and why we need to win finals like this.

    "Second doesn't count for nothing. Manchester City win the league, we finished second. Doesn't mean nothing. Villarreal won the Europa League, we finished second. For us it's nothing. I don't want to here 'they were so close' because it means nothing. One winner, one loser. Today we lost. We have to find out why and make sure next time we don't lose.

    "I'm 100% sure [we can compete because of] sacrifice. To win big trophies you have to show sacrifice. I could walk you into the dressing room and show you five, six, seven players - and me - who have had injuries from the start of the season. We all stayed and fought to be succesful for trhe club.

    "We have to go away and clear our heads. When we come back we start fresh.

    "When Ole came in we had a process. We believe in the process. Part of the process is ups and downs. Just because we lose today I promise the fans no chance we give up.

    "We will come back next season with more desire and hunger. We have to give 110%.

    "I know in every club they don't have this sacrifice. In the top clubs they do. That's why they win trophies.

    "We're close, I promsie we're close."

    Asked about whether he'd be fit for the Euros: "Forget about the foot for now. The disappointment of today, I don't feel the foot."

  5. Postpublished at 23:53 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Manchester United

    Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford to BT Sport: "Disappointed.

    "The feeling inside is difficult to explain. We came here to win. We've been working so hard all season and this was the opportunity to win a trophy and it didn't happen for whatever reason.

    "We have to get rid of the disappointment and look back at the game and see what we did wrong.

    "The team will not give up - no chance. The manager won't allow us to give up.

    "We will come next season with bigger desire."

    More to follow

  6. 'Transfer window massive for United'published at 23:50 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, speaking to BT Sport: "This window is massive for Manchester United now - the recruitment team, the CEO, the manager. They need to recruit the right players to take this team that gets to finals but can't get over the line.

    "It needs to be right people and the right characters. We talk about Van Dijk being the catalyst for Liverpool, what had he won before? It is the right characters and the right profile to come in and take you on."

  7. 'United just need that backing to take final step'published at 23:48 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, speaking to BT Sport: "I think they are three players off - a centre back, a midfielder and a right winger.

    "There are targets there that can make this United team better. They are closer than they have been in a long time but they just need that backing to take the final step.

  8. 'Now is not time to analyse whole season'published at 23:45 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Manchester United

    Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to BT Sport: "It's quiet, a disappointed dressing room. That's football for you. Soemtimes it's decided on one kick - and that's the difference between winning and losing.

    "We have to learn from that one, not savour this feeling but taste this feling and make sure we don't get it again.

    "We didn't turn up. We didn't play as well as we know we can. We started alright and they got the goal, their only shot on target. We were disappointed to concede a goal on a set play.

    "We pushed, we pressed, we got a goal. After we scored we didn't control the game or dominate as we wanted.

    "They made it hard for us, they closed spaces. We had the majority of possesion. They defended well. We didn't create enough big chances.

    "Now is not the time to point the finger at what I'd have done differently. But when you come out without the trophy you haven't done everything right.

    "We're getting closer and closer and better. We were one kick away from a trophy and a good night.

    "We have to have the desire to come back next year and improve. The only way to get the margins your side is to work harder and better."

    Has this season been a success? "No."

    "We need to get better, simple as. We've done really well this season coming through. The start was difficult. We had no pre-season and lost three of the first six. We pushed in the league, maybe got closer to the top than we thought and we got to a final. But you need to win the finals to make it a good season."

    Do they have the right characters? "Yeah. We missed two big ones today with Fred and Harry [Maguire]. We have a strong, competitive squad. The spirit in the squad is good. They're gutted in there. Now is not the time to analyse the whole season."

  9. 'How Rashford stayed on I do not know'published at 23:41 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Keith Gillespie
    Former Manchester United winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Some of the players that Manchester United have just aren't right - if you look at Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof tonight. They are not good enough for me, they get bullied to easily. Bailly gives the ball away and is rash in the tackle.

    Aaron wan Bissaka defends well but that is not what you need in today's game. He can't create.

    You wanted United's big players to step up tonight and Marcus Rashford was a mystery for me tonight. How he actually stayed on the pitch I do not know. For months he has been very poor.

  10. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 23:40 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    All this nonsense about Utd's bench. They had Van de beek and Mata sitting there, arguably better than all the Villarreal players. This result is down to Ole, no one else.

    Mark, Windsor.

  11. Postpublished at 23:38 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Neil Lennon
    Former Celtic manager on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Unai Emery has done an amazing job. If you think of how he was vilified here, I don't think he got enough time at Arsenal.

    He has gone back to his home country and done an amazing job. He was the main protagonist in all of this for me tonight. His experience played a part in Villarreal winning it.

  12. Postpublished at 23:36 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Thank you to over 3,000 of you for replying positively to my 23:26 entry.

    Time to run to the fridge before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer comes out to speak to the press.

  13. 'Trophy wins must be there next season'published at 23:34 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, speaking to BT Sport: "I think he has done enough even with this result to have a summer transfer window and go into next season.

    "I think next season the demand needs to be there to win trophies because that is what this club is built on."

  14. 'Something amazing'published at 23:34 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Villarreal midfielder Francis Coquelin to BT Sport: "It feels really good. It's been a tough competition. To play against a very good side like Manchester United, we knew it would be tough.

    "We didn't manage to get to the Champions League through the league so to get it through the Europa League is something special - and a first title for the club as well - something amazing.

    "A great way to finish the seaosn

    "When you go down to the end you know it's winner takes it all. We had a tough game. Manchester put a lot on pressure on us. We had to dig in.

    "A penalty shootout is a lottery and we managed to win it.

    "It was a fairytale of the competition. To beat them in the final is something special.

    "We will try to celebrate because this is something massive for the club."

  15. 'Man Utd are not the second best side in England'published at 23:31 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Keith Gillespie
    Former Manchester United winger on BBC Radio 5 Live

    I think it was a masterclass from Unai Emery - he just got everything right. They had a game plan and they stuck to it. They are obviously not the greatest side to watch, and Manchester United tried to attack but they just lacked quality in the final third.

    Manchester United are not the second best side in England. They are a million miles off Manchester City and they are behind Liverpool and Chelsea. They are a work in progress but there is still a lot of work to do.

  16. 'Do they hurt enough?'published at 23:27 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes, speaking to BT Sport: "Does losing hurt them enough? It has almost become an accepted thing.

    "Where is the demand on Ole? I don't think they will be saying he has to win a trophy. He has made progress.

    "For now, I don't think the demand is there on him."

  17. Postpublished at 23:26 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    I was looking forward to having a beer after this live text tonight - I thought it'd be over by now.

    Thumbs up if you're happy for me to crack a can open now while this live is continuing. Thumbs down if you think I should stay professional.

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 23:23 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    Even the way the United players take their runners-up medals frustrates. The arrogance of throwing it off and stating "No no I'm a winner": well many of them were out on the field for 2 hours and did absolutely nothing. Deserved nothing and got it.

    Stuart, Solihull

  19. Postpublished at 23:22 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    Paul Scholes on BT Sport doesn't think United's players and manager are hurting enough after losing that final.

  20. Postpublished at 23:20 British Summer Time 26 May 2021

    You'd have to go back 20 years for the last time a Spanish team lost a Uefa Cup/Europa League final to a non-Spanish team.

    That was Liverpool 5-4 Alaves.

    Since then Spanish teams have won this tournament 11 times.