Pape Matar Sarr is set to start for Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday’s Europa League final against Manchester United in Bilbao, a role shaped as much by circumstance as by performance.
With a string of injuries in the squad, the Senegalese international is poised to play a pivotal role at San Mamés—despite a campaign that has often cast him more as a dependable presence than a central figure.
The 22-year-old midfielder’s probable inclusion in the starting XI owes much to Tottenham’s depleted midfield, with Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison sidelined through injury.
Rodrigo Bentancur, meanwhile, has cemented his own place, leaving the remaining central roles to Sarr and Malian international Yves Bissouma.
It is a high-stakes opportunity for Sarr, a chance to showcase the potential that once made him a standout talent at Génération Foot and a player Spurs view as part of their long-term plans.
Sarr began the 2023–2024 season under the renewed confidence of new manager Ange Postecoglou, having endured a frustrating spell under former boss Antonio Conte.
Postecoglou’s early faith in the young midfielder, demonstrated by regular involvement in pre-season and a starting berth in his preferred 4-3-3 system, appeared to pay off.
Sarr responded with steady performances, contributing three goals and three assists across 34 Premier League appearances.
Yet as the season progressed, and particularly from February onward, Sarr’s influence seemed to wane.
Despite accumulating 53 appearances across all competitions and recording his highest season totals—six goals and three assists in 2,790 minutes—he found himself increasingly on the periphery of Postecoglou’s key selections.
In the Europa League, his involvement dipped after the round of 16 second leg against AZ Alkmaar, with the midfielder largely reduced to substitute appearances as the campaign entered its most decisive phase.
Still, the numbers paint a more favourable picture. Sarr has been one of the few consistent features in a turbulent Tottenham season that has seen the club slip to 17th in the Premier League table. He has remained available when many teammates have not, avoiding the injury issues that have plagued others.
His reliability, positional versatility, and tactical discipline have earned him valuable minutes, even if he hasn’t always been at the forefront of tactical plans.
The paradox of Pape Matar Sarr’s season lies in this contrast: always present, yet often peripheral. He opened Tottenham’s Europa League campaign with two goals in the group stage, suggesting he might play a leading role. But as the stakes rose, his status shifted, becoming more of a rotational asset than a fixed starter.
Now, with Tottenham’s season hanging in the balance and a European trophy within reach, Sarr finds himself back in the spotlight. For a player still developing, a performance under the bright lights of a European final could serve as both a statement of intent and a reminder of his untapped potential.
He may not have been central throughout the campaign, but his role on Wednesday could help define Tottenham’s season—and his place in its future.
With both Tottenham and Manchester United seeking redemption through silverware, Pape Matar Sarr’s paradoxical journey could culminate in triumph.
Whether this match becomes a turning point in his career or merely another chapter in a complex season, one thing is certain: Sarr is once again where he has so often been this year—ready when called upon.
