Spurs and Man Utd 'lucky' to have Champions League chance says former boss

Former Tottenham manager Martin Jol believes Spurs are fortunate to have a chance at qualifying for the Champions league by winning the Europa League.

Spurs are currently 17th in the Premier League after suffering a 20th defeat of the season against Crystal Palace on Sunday, yet they can still end the season with Champions League qualification after reaching the Europa League final.

It is a similar story for final opponents Manchester United, who are just a place above them in the league, with next Wednesday's final in Bilbao a winner-takes-all clash between the Premier League strugglers to reach Europe's elite competition.

Ex-Arsenal boss and current FIFA chief Arsene Wenger recently said it was unfair that the Europa League winner should get Champions League qualification, a sentiment Jol is on board with.

Speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes, the Dutch manager said: "I don't necessarily disagree with Arsene Wenger's thoughts on the Europa League and qualification for the Champions League.

"The truth, I think, is probably somewhere in the middle. I can remember Spurs finishing fourth under Harry [Redknapp], but not qualifying for the Champions League because Chelsea won a European competition.

"Of course if you finish in the top four in England, you deserve to be playing Champions League football.

"I've experienced it a couple of times in my career, playing in the Europa League, and if you're lucky, you can get a good run to the final.

"In other circumstances it can be tougher, and therefore it's hard to say a team with a difficult route doesn't deserve to qualify for the Champions League, because at the end of the day, the rules are the rules.

"Spurs are playing in the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt, who were almost a semi-professional team just five years ago - so they've been very lucky.

"If they beat, say, Man United, in the final, then you'd say they do deserve to play in the Champions League but, as I said, the rules are the rules, so what can you do?"

Despite their woeful campaign which looks set to be their worst ever in the Premier League, Jol says he is desperate to see his former club get the job done despite going in as slight underdogs against Ruben Amorim's men.

"I would love to see Spurs in the Champions League, I hope and pray they will make it," he added.

"It’s a great situation to be in that Spurs could finish the season one place above the relegation zone, with only three teams worse off than them - but could still be in the Champions League.

"It's a great chance for the club. That's how they've got to see it; it's a great opportunity they need to grab with both hands.

"But you can't look back on this season and say it's been a successful one, because they've been so poor in the league."

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