Tuesday 23 May 2017

There will be a minute's silence before tomorrow's UEFA Europa League final and a considerably reduced opening ceremony following Monday night's attack in Manchester.

Following last night's attack in Manchester, UEFA has confirmed that a minute's silence will be observed prior to the UEFA Europa League final in Stockholm on Wednesday night.

The opening ceremony will also be considerably reduced as a mark of respect for the victims of the Manchester attack.

This will mean that Swedish artists Axwell ^ Ingrosso will now not be performing before the final.

Teenage kicks: six players eyeing Europa League final history

Current: João Moutinho (18 years 252 days) – Sporting CP v CSKA Moskva, 2005

Two players will break this record if they play:
Matthijs de Ligt (17 years 285 days)
Justin Kluivert (18 years 19 days)

Youngest scorer in a final

Youngest UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League winner

Current: Robin van Persie (18 years 275 days) – Feyenoord v Dortmund, 2002

Two players will break this if they play:
Matthijs de Ligt (17 years 285 days)
Justin Kluivert (18 years 19 days)

Current: Vágner Love (20 years 341 days) – Sporting CP v CSKA Moskva, 2005

Six players can break this if they score:
Matthijs de Ligt (17 years 285 days)
Justin Kluivert (18 years 19 days)
Timothy Fosu-Mensah (19 years 142 days)
Kasper Dolberg (19 years 230 days)
Marcus Rashford (19 years 205 days)
Jairo Riedewald (20 years 257 days)

Final fact: There have been 563 goals in the 204 UEFA Europa League matches this season: an average of 2.76 per game. That is the second-highest figure since the UEFA Europa League was launched in 2009/10. The 2011/12 campaign set the highest total of 585 goals at an average of 2.85 a game.39

Final fact: Both teams have 19-year-old strikers leading the attack – Ajax's Kasper Dolberg (six goals) and United's Marcus Rashford (two goals and four assists).

Danny Blind, 1992 UEFA Cup winner with Ajax, and father of United's Daley Blind
United have a much more experienced team, players like Rooney, Mata, Smalling, who are used on playing at this level. Ajax have a young group of talented, enthusiastic players, so it will be interesting to see how the final goes. Obviously, I hope my son Daley wins because I always want the best for him, but if that doesn't happen, it will be a consolation that the club where I won so much has won it.

Peter Bosz, Ajax coach: "Everyone dreams of a European final, and it’s an enormous opportunity for us. On Wednesday, it’s all about winning the Europa League, and we’re going to try to win it in a compelling way. Some people think that this is naïve, but we’ve shown this season that it’s possible."

Match info

Friends Arena, Stockholm