Manchester United beaten 11-10 on penalties in Gdansk
Villarreal have been crowned Europa League champions after an incredible penalty shootout in Poland
Last updated 26th May 2021
Manchester United have been beaten 11-10 on penalties in the Europa League final after drawing 1-1 against Villarreal at the end of extra time.
Villarreal took the lead in the 29th minute thanks to a goal from Gerard Moreno, before Edinson Cavani equalised for United in the 55th minute.
With no goals in extra time, an astonishing penalty shoot out ensued, with twenty spotkicks finding the back of the net, before goalkeeper David De Gea had his saved.
Thousands of fans had descended on the Polish city earlier in the day for the Europa League final, as Manchester United supporters enjoyed their first away day since the coronavirus pandemic began.
United songs filled the air along Dlugi Targ - the main street in Gdansk - as old friends and new looked ahead to the match.
A win would've seen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claim his first trophy as United manager.
Before the game he said he hoped having Sir Alex Ferguson with him would inspire him to end their four-year wait for a major trophy.
The last time United won the trophy was in 2017 when they beat Ajax 2-0 under the rein of Jose Mourinho.
Solskjaer scored the winning goal in the 1999 final against Bayern Munich on May 26 as Ferguson's side lifted Europe's premier club competition on what would have been club great Sir Matt Busby's 90th birthday.
And exactly 22 years on Solskjaer expected his players to rise to the occasion as they looked to deliver another success on the continent.
He said:
"Of course Sir Alex is with us, we know the 26th of May is Sir Matt's birthday, but the players, when they sign for Man United, they sign to win trophies.
"They accept the challenge of being the best because this is the best club in the world, so that's the pleasure of the pressure of Man United. That's something they are ready for because they wouldn't have signed here if they weren't top players.''