UEFA release statement on UEL medal shambles and reveal why stars missed out

UEFA have issued a statement on their lack of winners' medals for Tottenham after the Europa League final.

The north Londoners ended their 17-year wait for a trophy with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Wednesday's final in Bilbao.

But stunningly, there weren't enough medals to go around for the players before the trophy presentation.

And Uefa have explained why they didn't have enough of them on hand in a statement featuring a grovelling apology.

It read: "To our great displeasure, we did not have enough medals available on stage during the trophy ceremony presentation due to an unexpected discrepancy in the player count, as more team members - including injured players - participated in the ceremony than initially anticipated.

"The missing medals were promptly delivered to the winning team in the dressing room, along with our sincerest apologies for the oversight."

Among the injured Spurs players who went up for a medal was England midfielder James Maddison.

The crocked former Leicester City midfielder donned a FULL KIT as he went up to collect a medal, something skipper Son Heung-min DIDN'T HAVE as he lifted the trophy.

Explaining why he was in a full kit, Maddison told CBS Sports: "They said I had to put the kit on to get a medal!

"I didn't want to do a John Terry!

"What a special feeling. Winning makes [the season] all alright – the pain of not being able to play is not being able to help the team.

"It is a brilliant achievement and a way to qualify for the Champions League but it is more winning for the fans.

"They have had years of pain."

Ange Postecoglou's future with Spurs has been the subject of intense speculation for the last few months due to the club's woeful Premier League form.

But the Aussie seemingly has no intention of walking from the club, telling TNT Sports: "I don't feel like I've completed the job yet, we're still building.

"The moment I accepted the role I had one thing in my head, and that was to win something.

More than anything else I had that in my head, and we've done that now so I want to build on it."