Manchester United had won the first leg 1-0 away from home and, after some early Sergio Romero saves on Iago Aspas, Marouane Fellaini nodded in a wonderful Marcus Rashford cross.
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However both sides were reduced to 10 men three minutes later, as United’s Eric Bailly and and Celta’s Roncaglia were both sent off following a hug scuffle.
And when John Guidetti missed a clear-cut chance to score with the last kick of the match, Manchester United were through to the final, delighting Mourinho.
United conceded an 85th-minute equalizer and hung on for a 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo, completing a 2-1 win on aggregate.
“Hopefully Crystal Palace doesn’t need the last game because in the last game I’m going to make a lot of changes and nobody can blame us because we have a final two days later”. We were better in the first leg and should have had a better result.
Celta Vigo are in 12th place in La Liga and are looking at Europa League as their best bet for any glory this season.
Several players then became embroiled in a fracas, and at the end of it both teams had a player sent off. Goalscorer Roncaglia and Bailly were both shown red cards.
Ronaldo’s final game for United ended in defeat as Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi scored to give Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona victory in Rome.
Play then ebbed and flowed, United allowing Celta to enjoy long wodges of possession without creating an terrible lot of note – the home side equally unable to make anything stick on the break.
“First of all two monsters – the history of Manchester United and the history of Ajax is wonderful”, Mourinho added of the Europa League final.
Mourinho, who has targeted a Europa League triumph as a way for United to qualify for next season’s Champions League, described Ivorian defender Bailly’s performance as phenomenal.
Mourinho hailed his players for the attitude they showed as they came through to seal a spot in a final he feels can be a “perfect” end to the season, with Champions League football on offer for the victor in Stockholm.
United kept the visitors at bay during six minutes of stoppage time and the Celta players sank to their knees in despair as the whistle blew seconds after Guidetti’s miss.
In the other tie, Ajax held off Lyon to reach the Europa League final for the first time ever.
The pressure from the Spanish side was relentless, and Celta had one back in the 85th minute when Roncaglia headed a Theo Bongonda cross into the bottom corner, setting up a grandstand finish.
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Jose Mourinho relied on a younger starting XI than we have seen from United this season, as Wayne Rooney came on as a late substitute and leading goal scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out for the season after injuring his knee.
