Via planes, trains and automobiles, Tottenham have arrived in Bilbao for the club’s biggest game in decades.

Win, and with their first trophy in 17 years will come the added glory of returning to European football’s top table with a spot in the Champions League next season.

Lose, and the number 17 takes on a different dimension – Spurs’ league position. Defeat in Spain will make that impossible to ignore, or put down to focusing on Europa League exploits, and manager Ange Postecoglou will almost certainly lose his job.

There is around £100million riding on Wednesday’s final for each club, plus the futures of their managers, Champions League qualification, bragging rights and, of course, a trophy. 

Here, MATT BARLOW reveals how Spurs have been preparing for this seismic Spanish clash. 

Via planes, trains and automobiles, Tottenham have arrived in Bilbao for the club’s biggest game in decades

Ange Postecoglou has said he always wins a trophy in his second season and intends to deliver on that, regardless of whether it’s enough to convince Daniel Levy that he’s the man for Spurs

Lose on Wednesday and Tottenham will not be able to deflect from their terrible Premier League campaign any longer

Monday, May 12

The morning after another dismal defeat, this time losing 2-0 at home to soon-to-be FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, and TV, radio and the written press descend on Tottenham’s training centre near Enfield for their Europa League final media day.

Son Heung-min, who returned from injury as a second-half substitute against Palace, talks about his video call with Harry Kane, the former Spurs captain who has won his first major trophy, winning the German title with Bayern Munich. Kane wishes his friend good luck and Son vows to take inspiration from his former strike partner.

Postecoglou, who knows his job is on the line even if he wins Spurs’ first trophy for 17 years, jokes about wrapping his players in cotton wool for the week rather than embarking on any of the sort of bonding exercises the players did before the Champions League final. Mauricio Pochettino had his players walking on hot coals and breaking arrows against their throats in 2019.

This time, with a much tighter schedule, the injury problems that have plagued Postecoglou are starting to take hold again.

Dejan Kulusevski came off with a knee problem against Palace. The Spurs boss says he is hopeful it is nothing more serious than a knock.

Sergio Reguilon, who has not been selected for the Europa League squad, collides with winger Brennan Johnson in a training game. They are supposed to be on the same team.

Brennan Johnson comes off worst in a collision with Sergio Reguilon in a training game

Tottenham were hopeful that the injury that forced off Dejan Kulusevski against Crystal Palace was just a knock 

Tuesday, May 13

A day off for the players, before they turn their attentions to the Friday night visit to Aston Villa.

Wednesday, May 14

More media activity, with photography and green-screen shots of the players ahead of the final.

Further scans on Kulusevski’s right knee reveal damage to his patella. He has surgery which rules him out of the final.

It is a bitter blow to Spurs, who have lost the three most creative midfielders from their squad. Lucas Bergvall damaged ankle ligaments in training on the eve of the first leg of the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt and James Maddison has been ruled out for three months after injuring knee ligaments in that game.

In South Korea, a story breaks. Son has filed a complaint to the police that he is being blackmailed.

Thursday, May 15

Postecoglou dismisses the Son blackmail story as ‘a legal matter’ – police in the captain’s homeland have arrested two people on suspicion of extortion and attempted extortion after demanding money from him to say silent over an alleged pregnancy – and reacts to the Kulusevski injury blow at his pre-match press conference by signposting a weakened team at Villa in the last game before the final.

Son Heung-min allegedly filed a complaint to police in South Korea that he is being blackmailed

Lucas Bergvall swept the club’s player of the year awards despite only starting 11 Premier League games

Postecoglou rails against accusations that he might damage the ‘integrity’ of the Premier League for those competing for the top five.

Bergvall sweeps the club’s player of the year awards despite only starting 11 Premier League games. There’s a message in there for others as well as appreciation for the teenager who also started 10 Europa League games and sparkled in the second half of the season, after a difficult start following his arrival last summer from Djurgarden.

The first team train and travel ahead of the Villa game.

Friday, May 16

As warned, Postecoglou selects a second-string team at Villa. Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert up front, with Mikey Moore on the right and Son on the left.

The only starters with a chance of starting in Bilbao are Son, who needed game time after his injury and played for 74 minutes, and Pape Matar Sarr who came off after 54 minutes complaining of discomfort in his back.

Centre halves Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven and left back Destiny Udogie do not make the squad, and instead stay behind in London and train. Pedro Porro and Guglielmo Vicario are unused subs. Midfielder Callum Olusesi, 18, and defender Dante Cassanova, 20, are on the bench.

Spurs lose 2-0. Defeat number 21 in the Premier League and their seventh in the last nine games, with all eyes on the Europa League.

Tottenham were well beaten in Birmingham with a second-string side against Aston Villa

Mathys Tel got a start up front but was unable to prevent defeat No 21 in the Premier League

Saturday, May 17

The team doesn’t get back to London until 1.30am and this has been designated as another rest day for most of the players.

All eyes can now turn fully to Bilbao. 

Sunday, May 18

There is what Postecoglou calls ‘a strong session’ – the last full blow-out for his first-teamers before the final. And more media commitments, this time for the Premier League rights holders ahead of the final game of the season, at home against Brighton on Sunday.

An interview emerges late from Australian broadcasters Optus Sports, in which the Spurs boss talks about his proud record of winning something in his second season at every club and says he does not regret his decision to remind the world of his success.

‘Why would I regret something I’m proud of?’ says Postecoglou. ‘Live your life as you should, stand up for your achievements and be proud of it. That’s what I do.’

Monday, May 19

The players arrive in Bilbao on Monday afternoon for their date with destiny against Manchester United

The 53,000-seat Estadio de San Mames, where the Europa League final will take place

Another lighter training session in the morning, lunch and on to the team bus at the training ground to Stansted Airport, with the flight to Bilbao at 3.30pm.

Postecoglou is keen for the extended squad to travel and be part of the occasion, including all the injured players and the youngsters who have featured in the Europa League campaign.

This includes the likes of centre forward Will Lankshear, who made his debut at Ferencvaros in October, scored and was sent off at Galatasaray in November, and has spent the second half of the season on loan at West Brom, and those no longer in the squad such as Fraser Forster.

Spurs land in damp northern Spain just before 7pm local time. They have dinner together in the hotel and a quiet night with plans to train on the pitch after pre-match press conferences on the eve of the game. Their date with destiny awaits.