It has taken a while, but Sunderland have finally stopped dropping and they will return to the Championship next season. Attention will soon turn to how to kick on again from here, but there are plenty of reasons why Sunderland and their fans should be enthusiastic about their chances in the Championship next season. Alex Neil The biggest reason Sunderland fans can feel optimistic about the Championship next season is also the biggest reason they got there: Alex Neil.
The two clubs met in the 2018 Champions League final when the Spanish giants won 3-1.
Jose Mourinho is back in the limelight and on the big European stage again. This time it's with Roma, with Dutch side Feyenoord standing in the way in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. Mourinho's Roma were European Cup runners-up in 1984 and lost to Serie A rivals Inter in 1991 in their only other major final in the UEFA Cup.