Tottenham Hotspur are 90 minutes away from European glory, and a familiar foe awaits in Wednesday’s Europa League final. It’s been 17 years since Spurs last got their hands on a trophy of relevance, and their journey to Bilbao has arrived amid the backdrop of a historically poor domestic season.

The drop-off for Tottenham has been more pronounced. They finished fifth a year ago, two points outside the Champions League places and three places above United, but have managed to lose more than h...