Ange Postecoglou gave a sharp rebuke to his critics after guiding Tottenham to the Europa League final on Thursday.

Spurs won 2-0 at Bodo/Glimt to triumph 5-1 on aggregate in their semi-final, sending them to the final in Bilbao, where they will face Manchester United on May 21.

It has been a poor season for Spurs domestically as they sit 16th in the Premier League with just three games to go, but Postecoglou feels their troubling domestic form should not take anything away from the club being within touching distance of a first trophy in 17 years.

In his post-match press conference, the Australian said: "What's happening now is people are fearing that it actually might happen [Spurs winning a trophy], and let's see how we can tear it down somehow and diminish it somehow by saying it's been a poor season and we don't deserve this or we don't deserve that...

"If it's so easy to get to a final, then why doesn't everyone who finishes in the top three do it?

"I mean, who cares if we're struggling in the league? It's a separate thing. It's got nothing to do with league form."

Spurs are chasing their first major trophy since 2008 and a first in Europe since 1984, with Postecoglou under no illusions about the importance of the final within the context of Tottenham's recent history.

"Of course it's massive [reaching the final]," said Postecoglou.

"Of course it is, because you have to frame it against what this club has been through over the last 15 or 20 years and what the supporters have been through.

"We've given them some real hope and something to dream about, that we can do something special this year."

This will be Tottenham's sixth final in European competitions and their first since losing the 2019 Champions League showpiece against Liverpool in Madrid.