A guttural roar of “Manchester, Manchester” thundered around the Friends Arena at the full-time whistle.
Purely in soccer terms, Manchester United’s 2-0 win over Amsterdam’s Ajax in the Europa League final on Wednesday in Stockholm was a triumph of huge significance for England’s biggest club. On a wider level, it was also a moment to cheer for the team’s grieving home city.
Manchester was plunged into tragedy Monday when 22 people were killed by a bomb attack at an Ariana Grande concert in the city center. United’s players were clearly moved by the events and flew to Sweden vowing to deliver a display in their biggest match of the season that would serve as a tribute to the victims and their families.