BBC

Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur: Women's Super League stats & head-to-head

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Everton vs Tottenham Hotspur: Women's Super League stats & head-to-head - BBC
Description

Tottenham Hotspur's winless run in the Women's Super League extended to 10 games as Robert Vilahamn's side closed out the season with a 1-1 draw at Everton.

Veatriki Sarri put Everton ahead with a beautiful curling free-kick around the Tottenham wall, before Drew Spence finished off a slick team move to equalise.

Everton came into the game off the back of an impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, and straight from kick-off they looked confident.

The home side dominated possession in the early stages and pressed Tottenham well - Toni Payne got a foot to Lize Kop's clearance but fortunately for the Spurs goalkeeper the ball deflected away from goal.

Defender Ella Morris was booked for halting an Everton attack just outside the penalty area and Sarri scored a wonderful goal, though Kop will feel she could have done better having got a hand to the ball.

Brian Sorensen's side almost doubled their lead shortly afterwards when Martina Fernandez's header struck the crossbar.

Spurs began to get into the game and equalised through an excellent team move in the 30th minute.

Olivia Holdt timed her run in behind the Everton defence to perfection as she raced onto Ella Morris' through ball, before producing a low cross that Drew Spence smashed home at the far post.

Both sides spurned chances after the break - Kelly Gago took too long on the ball when one-on-one with Kop and saw her effort deflected wide.

At the other end, Courtney Brosnan produced a smart save with her legs to keep out Jessica Naz's first-time strike following Bethany England's cut-back.

A point sees Tottenham finish 11th in the table, their lowest final position in the WSL, while Everton stayed eighth.

On the evidence of Saturday's performance, you can't really argue with Vilahamn's pre-match claim that his side "were not ready" to take the next step as a team.

It has been a hugely underwhelming season after reaching the FA Cup final in 2023-24, with Spurs winning just five of their 22 league games and amassing just 20 points, 11 fewer than they collected last term.

Tottenham struggled to keep hold of the ball for large chunks of the match, though when they did the attacking trio of Holdt, England and Naz looked threatening.

"We started the game quite badly actually - Everton were much better than us," Vilahamn told the club's website.

"But in the second half we were dominant and we had some chances. We should have won if you look at the whole 90 minutes. It's another game where we don't find a way to win.

"It's quite easy to see where and how we need to improve. We need to get better and sharper."

Spence's goal gave a glimpse of the level that this group of players could reach more often with a strong summer of recruitment, though it is unclear how much Vilahamn will be backed in the transfer market.

Everton were unable to record back-to-back wins in the WSL for the first time since December 2023, yet their season still draws to a satisfactory conclusion.

The Toffees have trended upwards after failing to win any of their opening six games. Performances improved after the winter break, even if their results remained inconsistent.

The fans at Walton Hall Park appeared to recognise that, rattling off an impressive repertoire of songs in appreciation of Sorensen and his players.

"I think we had the momentum, especially at the beginning of the game," Sorensen told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"But we got more and more tired and the game evened out. Overall we left everything out there to see if we could win, so I'm proud of the girls.

"We want to start next season like we started today - front-footed and aggressive. I'm disappointed we didn't win but I'm happy with the performance."

During the first half of the season Sorensen repeatedly promised that January signings would improve his team's fortunes. He was right.

But with Karoline Olesen, Rikke Madsen, Maren Mjelde and Lauren Thomas all leaving the club when their contracts expire at the end of June, investment will be needed over the summer.

Sorensen said that is the plan, as is extending Fernandez's loan from Barcelona.

If that happens, then at least matching their fifth-place finish in 2020-21 will be achievable.

Source

Tottenham to make internal changes regardless of Europa League final result

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Tottenham to make internal changes regardless of Europa League final result - BBC
Description

Tottenham can salvage what has been a troublesome season with their first trophy since 2008 when they face Manchester United in the Europa League final on 21 May - yet in many ways reaching the showpiece game was immaterial for Tottenham.

Change will come at the club regardless of their success in Europe, given Spurs are currently 16th in the Premier League, with some of those internal adjustments already taking shape.

The most important decision will be the confirmation of head coach Ange Postecoglou's future.

The Australian's job remains unsafe despite the achievement of leading his side to a continental final, where they will face fellow domestic strugglers United in Bilbao in their second European final in six years.

An annual departmental review could also lead to adjustments. Their destabilising injury record this season could leave the medical and strength and conditioning teams under scrutiny.

There will be new faces the boardroom too.

Vinai Venkatesham, the former Arsenal chief executive, is joining the club before next season in the same position he vacated at Emirates Stadium.

Similarly, a potential return of former managing director of football Fabio Paratici is an ongoing process.

BBC Sport understands machinations towards Paratici's possible comeback are in motion, though sources close to the situation have expressed caution by insisting a full agreement for the Italian's return is yet to be finalised and may take a while longer to be reached.

There is a sense, however, that a deal with a view to appointing Paratici to the club's new-look executive team is achievable.

Paratici, having first joined Spurs 2021, left the club in 2023 after an appeal against a two-and-a-half-year Fifa ban for alleged financial irregularities dating back to his spell at Juventus was rejected by Italy's highest sports court.

Despite the suspension, Paratici - who held talks with AC Milan in recent weeks - has remained a constant at Tottenham, working for the club in an unofficial consultancy capacity.

The Italian has also been a regular at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since his ban was enforced in spring 2023.

Paratici's suspension is due to expire in July, which could pave the way for his return if discussions are successful.

The 52-year-old remains one of the most respected football executives in European football and his connections would be invaluable to Tottenham as they approach a key summer transfer window.

Paratici was central to a number of Tottenham's most recent signings, most notably Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Source

Europa League and Conference League: Tottenham, Man Utd and Chelsea all reach finals

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Europa League and Conference League: Tottenham, Man Utd and Chelsea all reach finals - BBC
Description

Post

Joe Rindl

BBC Sport

Great question, Andy.

I've just had a dig through the small print and in Article 11.03 for both the Europa and Conference Leagues Uefa say:

"The winning team is presented with 50 gold medals and the runner-up with 50 silver medals."

So I imagine clubs can distribute medals as they see fit.

As for your question on times a player has won European trophies with two different clubs in one season, I'll leave the BBC Sport audience to answer that one.

Get Involvers - work your magic!

Watch The Football News Show

Right now we're streaming The Football News Show at the top of this page.

They've got loads of great guests on this morning.

We've loaned them Simon Stone, Nizaar Kinsella and Nick Mashiter (I think Nick's still in Bodo).

And a few Manchester United and Chelsea fans will also be on.

Make sure you get watching!

'You can make it something really special, this is the group that'll do it'

Bodo/Glimt 0-2 Tottenham (Spurs win 5-1 on agg)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham's X account has given us an insight into what it's like to be in the dressing room with boss Ange Postecoglou.

After last night's win he told his players: "I'm so proud of how all of you have stuck together. Not one time have I felt that people are not believing or have lost what we have in here. It's just outstanding.

"People never realise what it's taken for you guys to be in this position and you deserve all the credit for that. It's unbelievable what you've done.

"The things we've had to deal with. Everyone has contributed. Yeah, we've had problems, for sure, but we've stuck together. You can make it something really special. This is the group of players that is going to do it."

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Skip X post

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

End of X post

Postecoglou comes out fighting after reaching final

Bodo/Glimt 0-2 Tottenham (Spurs win 5-1 on agg)

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham are 16th in the Premier League after a poor domestic season and are chasing their first major trophy since 2008.

Manager Ange Postecoglou has come under criticism for his team's form, despite losing a number of senior players to injury. They won in Norway without James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall - both out for the season - with Son Heung-min also missing.

At times he has been mocked after stating, accurately, he wins trophies during his second season at a club. And minutes after seeing his team reach the Europa League final, he came out fighting again.

"It's going to upset a lot of people isn't it," Postecoglou said. "The debate's now raging. The latest one is that neither of us will be able to get a trophy if we win, they're just going to take a team photo because we're not worthy.

"I mean, who cares if we're struggling in the league? If it's so easy to get to a final, then why doesn't everyone who finishes in the top three do it? It's a separate thing. It's got nothing to do with league form.

"I couldn't care less who's struggling and who's not. I think both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there."

When was Solanke's last goal from open play?

Bodo/Glimt 0-2 Tottenham (Spurs win 5-1 on agg)

Tottenham led 3-1 from the first leg and Dominic Solanke broke the deadlock in the Arctic Circle to put the tie further out of reach.

The England striker has been in and out of the team this season through injury but has got back in the goals recently.

Solanke produced a perfect poacher's strike in Bodo to register his fourth goal in five games - and his 15th in 44 games since joining from Bournemouth last summer.

It was also his first goal from open play in 16 games, stretching back to the 2-1 defeat by Newcastle in January, when the 27-year-old headed in the opener from Pedro Porro's cross.

Spurs' defence pulls off rare feat

Bodo/Glimt 0-2 Tottenham (Spurs win 5-1 on agg)

Tottenham's clean sheet in Norway not only made for a panic-free evening but also meant they pulled off a rare feat.

Bodo/Glimt have played 11 home games in Europe this season and Qarabag are the only other team that has won in Bodo. The likes of Lazio, Olympiakos, Twente, Besiktas and Porto have all been beaten.

What's more, it was only the third time in 22 European games this season that Bodo/Glimt have failed to score.

Spurs also became the first team to stop Bodo/Glimt scoring in 2025, with Thursday's game the 16th that the Norwegian side has played since the turn of the year.

Man Utd and Tottenham have earned their shot at the Champions League

Simon Stone

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

I said this last night and I repeat it now, I do not understand the argument over the merits of Manchester United and Tottenham potentially qualifying for the Champions League by winning the Europa League.

That is the prize at the start of the tournament - and has been for quite a while. In 2023 I don't recall anyone complaining about Sevilla dropping out of the Champions League, then winning the Europa League in the same season to qualify for the Champions League again, having finished 12th in the league. All I heard was how amazing it was they were specialists in the tournament.

When West Ham won the Conference League in 2023, amid the elation at winning the trophy and the admiration expressed for David Moyes, I don't recall anyone complaining about them getting into the Europa League the following season given they finished 14th in the table.

The obvious difference this season is that eight third place teams have not dropped into the competition below midway through.

It means that in the Europa League the number of clubs from each country was sealed at two. By their very nature, the two clubs from the biggest countries would be expected to do well.

One side from Germany and another from France didn't even make it out of the first phase. Manchester United have knocked out both sides from Spain and the other one from France in the knockout rounds. Tottenham beat a team from Germany in the quarters and the two Italian teams were beaten by the teams who then lost to the Premier League duo.

The fact is Manchester United and Tottenham have reserved their best performances for the Europa League. Whoever wins it deserves their Champions League place.

Source

Ange Postecoglou: Tottenham boss hits back at critics as Spurs reach Europa League final

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Ange Postecoglou: Tottenham boss hits back at critics as Spurs reach Europa League final - BBC
Description

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

In Norway, boss Ange Postecoglou took aim at Tottenham's critics after they reached the Europa League final as he remained on course to continue his record of winning a trophy in his second season.

Spurs eased past Bodo/Glimt 2-0 in the second leg of their semi-final in the Arctic Circle to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory on Thursday.

Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro sent Spurs to the final, where they will face Manchester United in Bilbao on 21 May.

Tottenham are 16th in the Premier League after a poor domestic season and are chasing their first major trophy since 2008.

Postecoglou has come under huge criticism for Tottenham's form, despite losing a number of senior players to injury. They won in Norway without James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall - both out for the season - with Son Heung-min also missing.

At times he has been mocked after stating, accurately, he wins trophies during his second season at a club.

In the Aspmyra Stadion, minutes after seeing his team reach the final, he came out fighting again.

"It's going to upset a lot of people isn't it," Postecoglou said. "The debate's now raging. The latest one is that neither of us will be able to get a trophy if we win, they're just going to take a team photo because we're not worthy.

"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.

"I couldn't care less who's struggling and who's not. I think both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there."

It is Tottenham's sixth European final - their last was in 2019 when they lost to Liverpool in the Champions League.

Since winning the 2008 Carabao Cup Spurs have lost three finals and been beaten in three semi-finals. They have also reached four FA Cup semi finals without progressing.

The club has not lifted the Europa League in 41 years, since beating Anderlecht to win what was the Uefa Cup at the time.

"I've said all along that this is important," Postecoglou continued. "What's happening now is people are fearing that - that it actually might happen, 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, or somehow comparing us to Man United.

"Maybe if we had Man United's success then maybe I'd have a different view. So, of course it's massive. 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."

Source

Man Utd v Tottenham in Europa League final: All-English final in Bilbao with Champions League on line

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Man Utd v Tottenham in Europa League final: All-English final in Bilbao with Champions League on line - BBC
Description

Manchester United and Tottenham will meet in an all-English Europa League final on 21 May.

Ruben Amorim's United saw off Spanish side Athletic Bilbao 7-1 on aggregate in their semi-final to progress, while Spurs got the better of Norwegians Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate.

United are looking to win the Europa League for the second time in eight years, while Tottenham are bidding to end a 41-year wait for European success.

It is the sixth all-English final in any major European competition - with half of them involving Spurs.

It also means there are six English teams in next season's Champions League.

Tottenham are looking to win a first trophy of any kind in 17 years and they will fancy themselves as favourites for the game in Bilbao, having beaten United three times already this season.

Spurs won 3-0 at Old Trafford and 1-0 at home in the Premier League and also triumphed 4-3 in the League Cup.

"If you think in the odds it's hard for the club to lose four times in a row," United boss Ruben Amorim said. "We can think that way."

Former Tottenham midfielder Glenn Hoddle agreed that it would be difficult for Spurs to win again.

"To beat a team four times also from the Premier League in one season is really tough," Hoddle said on TNT Sports.

He added: "It will be a titanic battle. Spurs have had the upper hand at the moment but United will be looking for revenge."

United last won the Europa League in 2016-17, when Jose Mourinho was manager. They lost the Europa League final 11-10 on penalties to Villarreal in 2021 when David de Gea missed his spot kick for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side.

Despite United's poor season domestically, ex-Red Devils midfielder Paul Scholes is confident his former side will rise to the occasion in the final.

He said: "For some reason, the history of this club is almost like Real Madrid at times - when they aren't playing that well they can still go on and win European cups.

"Manchester United's history tells me they will win it, they know how to win trophies, Tottenham don't."

Manchester United and Tottenham have struggled domestically this season as they sit 15th and 16th respectively in the Premier League.

However, a European trophy will ensure the campaign will ultimately be viewed as a successful one.

"It's going to upset a lot of people isn't it?" said Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.

"Neither us will get a trophy if we win, we're just going to take a team picture.

"Who cares if we're struggling in the league?

"This club and others have finished first, second and third in the Premier League and haven't made finals. I couldn't care less who is struggling and who's not.

"Both us and Manchester United have earned the right to be there. I'm looking forward to it and it should be a great game."

Spurs' impressive record over United extends further back than just this season.

They have won four of the past six meetings in all competitions, with United last beating them 2-0 in the Premier League in October 2022.

But data analysts Opta have made United slight favourites to triumph in the final.

Their supercomputer gives the Red Devils a 50.7% chance of lifting the Europa League trophy, with Tottenham at 49.3%.

"I think the final is poised to be absolutely brilliant," former Manchester City midfielder Izzy Christiansen said on TNT Sports.

"Both teams have a point to prove and have many parallels in the Premier League this season and I can't wait."

The winners of the Europa League go into the following season's Champions League, regardless of where they finish domestically.

So a United v Spurs final guarantees one of them a return to the mega-riches of European football's top table.

That rule is handy for United and Spurs, who are both more than 20 points behind fifth place.

Without winning the Europa League, neither of them will be in any European competition next season.

It would not have any knock-on effect on any other English teams - with the top five guaranteed a Champions League spot through the league.

That fifth spot came as a result of English clubs' performances in Europe this season.

The first Uefa Cup in 1971-72 was between Tottenham and Wolves in a two-legged final.

Spurs won the first leg 2-1 at Molineux, with Martin Chivers scoring twice, and drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane two weeks later.

It would take 36 years for the next all-English final, which was in the 2007-08 Champions League as Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Frank Lampard traded goals before a shootout that is best remembered for John Terry's miss after slipping.

There were two all-English finals in 2018-19.

Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 in the Champions League in Madrid, with goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi.

And Chelsea saw off Arsenal 4-1 in Baku in the Europa League, with Eden Hazard netting twice in his final game for the club.

Two years later Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 in the Champions League, with Kai Havertz scoring the only goal in Porto.

Source

Europa League & Conference League LIVE: Man Utd, Tottenham & Chelsea - scores, radio & updates

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Europa League & Conference League LIVE: Man Utd, Tottenham & Chelsea - scores, radio & updates - BBC
Description

Post

Bodo/Glimt 0-0 Tottenham (agg 1-3)

Nearly half an hour gone and it's a very professional performance from Spurs. They haven't given Bodo/Glimt a sniff so far.

As it stands, Spurs are on their way to Bilbao.

Post

Chelsea 0-0 Djurgarden (agg 4-1)

Tyrique George shoots from the edge of the box but it is palmed away by Jacob Rinne.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is next to take a shot and Rinne is there again to make an important save.

Positive play from Chelsea.

'Good goalkeeping from Onana'

Man Utd 0-0 Athletic Bilbao

Phil Jones

Former Manchester United defender on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It's always nice to see a goalkeeper come out and be commanding like that. Sometimes they can get flustered collecting crosses but that was good goalkeeping from Onana.

YELLOW CARD

Bodo/Glimt 0-0 Tottenham (agg 1-3)

Kasper Hogh is shown the first yellow card of the night after giving away a foul and launching the ball away in frustration.

Nice handshake with the ref afterwards to say sorry.

'Another silly free kick'

Man Utd 0-0 Athletic Bilbao

Izzy Christiansen

Former England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Berenguer is going nowhere. he is going off the pitch and Casemiro just needs to hold him up. Another silly free-kick that Manchester United have now have to defend.

Post

Bodo/Glimt 0-0 Tottenham (agg 1-3)

Ole Didrick Blomberg is a very lucky boy as he loses the ball deep in his own half to Micky van de Ven but the ref blows his whistle for a foul.

Got away with one there.

Post

Man Utd 0-0 Athletic Bilbao (agg 3-0)

Casemiro wrestles Alex Berenguer to the ground. Athletic free-kick on the left wing. This isn't pretty from United at all.

Andre Onana catches the free-kick when it comes in.

YELLOW CARD

Man Utd 0-0 Athletic Bilbao (agg 3-0)

Noussair Mazraoui commits a foul and the referee lets play go on before coming back to book the United defender.

Play stopped when Rasmus Holjund handled the ball when he was on a promising attack.

'Dorgu is already going to ground'

Man Utd 0-0 Athletic Bilbao

Phil Jones

Former Manchester United defender on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

I think Dorgu is already going to ground before the defender makes contact with him. It's not a penalty. He made it look more than it was.

Post

Bodo/Glimt 0-0 Tottenham (agg 1-3)

That's really good striker play from Dominic Solanke as he wins the ball high and stop in front of Patrick Berg.

Berg then runs through the back of Solanke and Spurs have a free-kick in a tasty position.

Source

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: Stig Johansen on Europa League semi-final

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: Stig Johansen on Europa League semi-final - BBC
Description

Bodo/Glimt record scorer Stig Johansen believes Tottenham are in for a shock in their Europa League semi-final second leg.

Tottenham hold a 3-1 lead before Thursday's game in north Norway, 75 miles inside the Arctic Circle, as they look to reach the final in Bilbao.

Bodo beat Lazio in the quarter-finals, winning 2-0 at home, and have also beaten Twente, Porto and Braga in this season's competition.

Former Norway striker Johansen, who is one of Bodo's all-time top goalscorers and also had a brief spell at Southampton in 1997-98, expects the hosts and their plastic pitch to make life uncomfortable for Spurs.

"Tottenham are going to get a real surprise, I hope," he told BBC Sport in Norway.

"They will find it difficult. Tottenham may start well but they will struggle afterwards. Bodo/Glimt are very fit and if you don't get into the duels close - Tottenham players are stronger than us - on that pitch, I don't think they are going to catch up.

"Stay away from one to ones because physically Tottenham are stronger.

"We have to score very quickly, in the first 20, and then we go from there. What are Tottenham doing? Are they up to the challenge?

"It's fun to say - are Tottenham up to the challenge at Bodo/Glimt? But Bodo are so good at home. It will be a new world for the Tottenham players. We have seen a lot of teams come to Bodo and it seems they are playing in our division.

"Good luck to Tottenham."

Source

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: What awaits Spurs in the Arctic Circle?

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: What awaits Spurs in the Arctic Circle? - BBC
Description

What awaits Tottenham in the Arctic Circle? Video, 00:02:03What awaits Tottenham in the Arctic Circle?

Up Next. 'Spurs are afraid and they should be' - Bodo/Glimt fans confident. Video, 00:03:42'Spurs are afraid and they should be' - Bodo/Glimt fans confident

Will Man Utd or Spurs save their season and who needs it more? Video, 00:02:54Will Man Utd or Spurs save their season and who needs it more?

Everything Tottenham do is seen as negative - Postecoglou. Video, 00:00:53Everything Tottenham do is seen as negative - Postecoglou

Fernandes is clearly one of top players in world - Amorim. Video, 00:00:24Fernandes is clearly one of top players in world - Amorim

Messi 'does stuff that normal humans can't do' Video, 00:02:26Messi 'does stuff that normal humans can't do'

Was this the greatest transfer window of all time? Video, 00:01:41Was this the greatest transfer window of all time?

Five things to know before Miami Grand Prix. Video, 00:01:51Five things to know before Miami Grand Prix

Source

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: What awaits Spurs in Norway for Europa League semi-final second leg

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham: What awaits Spurs in Norway for Europa League semi-final second leg - BBC
Description

When Lazio travelled to Bodo/Glimt for their Europa League quarter-final first leg last month they were greeted by a blizzard and a stadium covered in a blanket of snow.

Tractors with ploughs cleared the pitch so the game could be played, but the Italians still found the freezing conditions and artificial surface difficult as they were beaten by their Norwegian hosts 2-0.

They are not the first side to have struggled in Bodo - which is located 200km north of the Arctic Circle - and both Jose Mourinho and current Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou will no doubt still have nightmares about the defeats they had there, while in charge of Roma and Celtic respectively.

Now it is Spurs' turn to try to deal with the conditions in Thursday's semi-final second-leg tie.

Postecoglou's side will look to book their place in the Europa League final following a 3-1 first-leg success at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As the Lazio players experienced - and Mourinho's Roma too in 2021 with a 6-1 humbling in their Europa Conference League tie - playing football in Bodo can be a real test.

Sub-zero temperatures greeted them, but the good news for Tottenham is the weather is expected to be far more palatable for them.

Current forecasts suggest it is going to be around 5C and dry - so not a million miles away from what they are used to in England.

But other factors could provide a challenge.

Bodo's coastal location, coupled with the open design of the 8,500 capacity Aspmyra Stadion, means it can be very windy during matches.

"We are not the sexiest team to meet," Bodo/Glimt defender Jostein Gundersen told BBC World Service.

"It is not the biggest stadium, it is cold, it is windy. We have an advantage there because it is not the most fantastic place to play.

"We use the weather and the cold to our advantage. It is really difficult for the other teams to come here.

"It is not a problem for us if it is a little snowy or cold, hopefully it can scare the opposition a little bit."

The weather may prove favourable for Tottenham, but they will still have to deal with playing on an artificial pitch.

For teams used to real grass they can find that the ball behaves differently on synthetic turf - it can move along the surface quicker and bounce differently. Bodo/Glimt's players will be used to this, but Tottenham's will not.

"It is different football [on an artificial pitch]," said midfielder Dejan Kulusevski.

"It is a different pitch, but in life, you have to do what you have to do to find a way to win and we have got to do that."

Bodo defender Odin Bjortuft said: "Of course, playing here at home is a big advantage for us because I don't think a lot of teams are prepared for what's coming.

"The ball goes really fast when you play passes and it's more difficult for defenders reaching attackers and getting contact with us. That's what we benefit from in these games.

"It's a big difference between artificial and grass in many ways, but the main key is that the ball goes so fast."

Tottenham have already played on a similar surface this season - winning 3-0 at Tamworth in the FA Cup third round in January - and that will serve as a reminder of just how tough they found it.

Spurs struggled for 90 minutes against the National League side, but finally managed to overcome them in extra time, although they needed an own goal from Tamworth's Nathan Tshikuna to break the deadlock after 101 minutes.

In the Europa League this season, Porto, Besiktas, FC Twente and Olympiakos are among the teams to have come to Bodo and lost - highlighting the task Tottenham face.

Spurs, however, may take heart from fellow Premier League side and rivals Arsenal, who came to Bodo three years ago in the group stage of the Europa League and won 1-0 thanks to Bukayo Saka's goal.

However, Bjortuft said his side have come a long way since that encounter.

"I wasn't part of the team but we spoke a lot about this experience," he added.

"A key factor for us is that the Arsenal game was early in Bodo/Glimt's story for the last years. After the Arsenal game, we had a lot of European matches, big matches outside of Norway.

"I think we are a much more adult team and we learn a lot before this game and especially from the Arsenal game from a few years ago."

Source

Tottenham Hotspur: Ange Postecoglou questions Arsene Wenger over Champions League qualification

Submitted by daniel on
Picture
Remote Image
Tottenham Hotspur: Ange Postecoglou questions Arsene Wenger over Champions League qualification - BBC
Description

Ange Postecoglou says "Spurs does crazy things to people" in response to Arsene Wenger's suggestion that the winners of the Europa League should not qualify for the Champions League.

Former Arsenal manager Wenger, now Fifa's chief of global football development, has questioned why the winners of the Europa League qualify for next year's Champions League.

Postecoglou's Tottenham have a 3-1 lead going into Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg at Bodo/Glimt's Aspmyra Stadion.

But they are 16th in the Premier League table, while Manchester United - who have a 3-0 lead over Athletic Club in the other last-four tie - are a point ahead in 15th. The winners will face each other in Bilbao on 21 May.

The pair will not qualify for Europe through the league but Postecoglou does not understand Wenger's argument.

"It's a debate that's been raging for years, at least the last eight days…I've never heard it before," said the Australian in Norway. "Spurs does crazy things to people.

"You put that club into any sentence or any issue and invariably they all come out and try to diminish it as much as they can.

"It's Spurs mate, they love it.

"It's competition rules. Why wasn't it an issue before and is it an issue now? What's the difference? Last year fifth [in the Premier League] didn't get you into the Champions League, this year it does. What does that mean?"

Uefa amended its rules in 2014 to allow the Europa League winners to qualify for the following season's Champions League tournament, but Wenger disagreed with the policy.

Asked if this was "right", he told BeIN Sports: "No, they should qualify automatically for the Europa League again but not necessarily for the Champions League - especially when you're in the Premier League where already five teams qualify. I think it's something [for Uefa] to think about and to review.

"On the other hand, people will tell you that to keep the Europa League focused, interesting and motivated you need to give them that prize [of qualifying for the Champions League]."

Tottenham face Bodo in Norway without James Maddison, with Postecoglou confirming the England midfielder is out for the season with the knee injury he suffered in the first leg.

Striker Dominic Solanke has travelled and should be fit after being forced off in the 3-1 success with a quad problem.

Source