Frank Christian
The long-standing rivalry between Tottenham and Arsenal ignites each season, with both fanbases taking every opportunity to trade barbs, no matter how far-fetched the arguments may seem at times.
This ongoing back-and-forth encourages both sides to celebrate their victories while simultaneously downplaying the other’s struggles, creating a narrative that keeps the competition alive.
Currently, the spotlight is on Tottenham as they prepare to face Manchester United in the final of the 2024/25 Europa League, vying for a coveted European trophy.
Despite a challenging season with Spurs languishing near the bottom of the Premier League standings, they have the chance to achieve something Arsenal has not — winning a significant European title (unless one counts the lesser 1993/94 Cup Winners’ Cup or the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which most Spurs fans would contest).
As a result, some Spurs supporters, along with a few analysts, argue that clinching the Europa League trophy would signify a more successful season than Arsenal’s. While at first glance this claim may seem absurd given their lower league position, is there any validity to it? Or is it merely envy disguised as banter?
The Sporting News analyzes the situation from various perspectives to determine who truly had the “better” season while both teams occupy significant thought space for the other.
Could Spurs have a superior season compared to Arsenal if they win the Europa League?
This discussion naturally begins with Tottenham winning the Europa League final against Manchester United on Wednesday in Bilbao, Spain.
Should they lose, all arguments become moot. Nonetheless, Spurs fans are already hinting at the weight a potential European title could bring when discussing their local rivals, and should they be victorious, one can expect reminders of trophy counts directed at Arsenal.
Let’s evaluate the arguments from both sides, assuming Tottenham secures the Europa League trophy, to see if the narrative holds water.
Reasons Tottenham could claim a better season than Arsenal
Primarily, winning a trophy, particularly a European one, bolsters this viewpoint.
While Arsenal made their mark in the more prestigious Champions League, they still exited in the semifinals. Arguments can be made regarding the status of each tournament, but the joy of raising a European trophy — any European trophy — outweighs a semifinal departure from any other competition.
This perspective holds some merit. Teams are willing to sacrifice nearly everything for a chance to secure silverware on the European stage. As evidenced by the final, both Spurs and Manchester United opted to push for European glory at the expense of their league ambitions.
At season’s end, Arsenal finds themselves without silverware despite their best efforts.
Reasons Arsenal may have had a superior season to Tottenham
Once the conversation moves beyond the simple notion of “we won a trophy,” the scales tilt toward Arsenal.
Firstly, Arsenal’s second-place finish in the Premier League stands in stark contrast to Tottenham’s struggles in 17th place, a disparity that significantly influences the debate.
Even without that blatant point, Arsenal’s performance far surpasses that of Tottenham. The Gunners made it to the Champions League semifinals, a stage of a much more prestigious competition than the Europa League. Even if Spurs were victorious, it wouldn’t diminish the elevated status gained by reaching the Champions League semis.
To highlight this, the Europa League champion receives €8.6 million ($9.7 million) for their victory, which is just over half of the €15 million ($16.6 million) Arsenal earned for merely reaching the last four of the Champions League.
While Spurs faced teams like Eintracht Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt en route to the final, Arsenal bested Real Madrid and overcame finalists Paris Saint-Germain during their Champions League journey.
Regardless of how Ange Postecoglou downplays the significance of the Europa League title, the fact that Spurs fought all season just for a chance to compete in a tournament where Arsenal reached the semifinals speaks volumes.
Trophy or no trophy, Arsenal’s season has been markedly stronger, and arguing otherwise based on an expected Europa League victory invites the wrath of the football gods.
