United and Spurs must respond or face Cup exits

Barcelona and Inter thrill with 3-3 draw; Man United, Spurs seek Europa League glory and UCL ticket amid poor form. Big tests await on Thursday.

Manchester United must show up big at Bilbao on Thursday night if they don't want to risk an Europa League exit. (Photo credit: Opta)

After a rather tepid night at the Emirates between Arsenal and PSG, one which saw the French side plant a foot in the Champions League final, Inter and Barcelona delivered a night of our lives at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona, powered by the exciting young talent Lamine Yamal, played out an exhilarating 3-3 draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday night as the tie remains delicately poised ahead of the second leg in Italy next week. It is anybody’s game at this point if what we saw last night is anything to go by.

And to Thursday fixtures, a little step below the elite class, Manchester United and Tottenham will both attempt to make their fans feel better as they gun for the title that would send them to the Champions League; it looks improbable off their respective forms but not impossible.

How weird would it sound to see either of the two Premier League sides in the semifinals strolling to the Europa League title from the 14th and 16th positions in the Premier League, respectively? Who would understand a Champions League ticket for a team hovering above the relegation zone in the league?

Does this add to the quality of the Premier League? Or does it say a lot about the priorities of the teams who have focused on Europe as opposed to fighting for anything in the league? If it does happen, how would teams like Nottingham Forest and Newcastle feel?

United will face the stiffer test of the two Premier League clubs left in the competition as they entertain Athletic Bilbao in the semifinal, while Ange Postecoglou’s side will face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. While the Red Devils have it tougher considering the form of the Spanish side, Spurs cannot afford to underrate the team that eliminated Lazio, albeit comfortably.

Ruben Amorim has alluded to the fact that nothing can save United’s season, but a Champions League ticket could help their summer transfers. "We know nothing is going to save our season, but this can be huge," Amorim said.

"Winning a trophy and getting in the Champions League to play European games next year could change a lot of things in our club in the summer." "We need to change a lot of things, and we need to be consistent," he said.

"Europa League will not change anything in our problems. It's going to give us the Champions League next year and more money to spend, but the problems are still there.”

Spurs, on the other hand, must take the battle to Bodo/Glimt; the embarrassing show they put up at Anfield on Sunday must be forgotten. This is crunch time, and they must save their season with a huge performance against the Norwegians.