Football London

It could be an all-English final in the UEFA Europa League later this month.

Tottenham hold the advantage over Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt after the first leg of their semi-final, having picked up a 3-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Thursday.

Meanwhile Manchester United are in an even better position, having thrashed Athletic Club 3-0 in San Mames last Thursday. United therefore have a second leg at home with a three-goal advantage to hold onto and even build on.

Spurs, though, have the tougher task going to Norway to play on an artificial pitch against the Norwegian minnows.

And Tottenham have been given a further indication of who they could meet in the final, should they get there, with early team news coming out ahead of the game at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

Already in a commanding position, Manchester United have been handed a further boost with the news that Athletic Club will be without three key players for the second leg.

Nico Williams - linked with Arsenal this summer - Inaki Williams and top scorer Oihan Sancet are all missing the clash due to injury, according to our friends at the Manchester Evening News.

Athletic Club already have a mountain to climb, needing to score three unanswered goals just to take the tie into extra-time and doing so without three of their best players will be no mean feat.

It looked, after last week's clash, that United had one foot in the final - coincidentally in Bilbao - and with that injury news it would appear they have more than a foot in the final now.

Tottenham know what they have to do in Norway on Thursday night and they pretty much know who they will be facing should they get there already.

Aston Villa bosses insist they are “not happy” after their Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur was brought forward two days following a special request made by Spurs.

Tottenham were due to travel to Villa Park on Sunday, May 18 but requested the fixture to be brought forward due to their potential involvement in the Europa League final. Ange Postecoglou’s side are in a strong position to reach the continental final on May 21 as they lead Bodo/Glimt 3-1 with the semi-final second leg to be played on Thursday.

The Premier League confirmed on Tuesday that the fixture will now be played on Friday, May 16 with a kick-off time of 7:30pm. The Premier League said in a statement: "The Premier League match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur has been given a new date of Friday 16 May, kicking off at 19:30 BST. This is following a request from Spurs in view of their potential participation in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday 21 May."

Villa’s director of football operations Damian Vidagany said his club had reluctantly accepted the change, and hoped the “clear prejudice” against Villa in this decision would be remembered should they need assistance with fixture scheduling due to European football next season. “Fixture changed and honestly, not happy,” he wrote on X.

“But it could be even worst (sic). We really pushed – everyone in the club at different levels – with solid and fair grounds to protect our fans ( our main task and duty) and keep the Spurs match on Sunday. Nothing against Spurs.”

Vidagany said that considering the alternatives were to bring the game forward even earlier to Wednesday or Thursday, playing on Friday was the least “damaging” they could get. Efforts to bring the match forward to Saturday, May 17 were thwarted because of the clash with the FA Cup final, Vidagany said.

“Hopefully in the future all of them (the Premier League and the Football Association) would remind the clear prejudice in this case to Villa fans and will be consistent and equally supportive if we need changes to help us in Europe (if hopefully we are there),” Vidagany added. We didn’t feel this support last season or this one. European football is not only demanding for English clubs on the verge of the finals.”

Earlier this season, Villa had a rearranged Premier League fixture against Liverpool moved into a midweek slot that they thought would be free after avoiding a play-off round in the Champions League. Villa’s director of football Monchi echoed Vidagany’s sentiments, adding on his own X account: “The change of the fixture of Tottenham is not what we wanted. We were not entitled to keep it and we got the least damaging alternative.

“Our fans didn’t deserve but we tried hard to keep the match to protect the most important for us: YOU and OUR TEAM. We need you on Friday. Always Up the Villa!!!”

Tottenham lead their Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt 3-1 on aggregate heading into Thursday night’s second leg. If they progress they could well find themselves up against Manchester United in the final, with the Red Devils 3-0 up in their tie against Athletic Bilbao ahead of the home leg.

Leaving Spurs’ match where it was would have given United a major advantage in terms of rest, with their league game against Chelsea already scheduled for May 16. The kick-off time for that fixture has now been changed from 8pm to 8.15pm, with Villa vs Tottenham starting at 7.30pm.

"I’m sick all day of reading about journalists, or other people who have got no affiliation to Liverpool, telling Liverpool supporters how they should feel."

That was the fiery message from Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher in response to the fan backlash to Trent Alexander-Arnold's decision to leave Liverpool.

The England right-back is expected to sign a deal with Real Madrid following the expiration of his Liverpool contract this summer and the decision has been met with opinion on both ends of the scale.

Some Liverpool fans are happy for him and what he has given to the Reds since rising through the youth ranks at Melwood. Others, meanwhile, have hit out at the 26-year-old for turning his back on the club and ending his loyal association with the Reds.

In a rant on Sky Sports, Carragher said: "There’s this thing that I’ve been reading throughout the day, obviously when the news breaks. You’ve got the reaction of Liverpool supporters, which are different. Some people wish him all the best, some people are really angry, some people are somewhere in the middle. I’m probably one of the ones who are somewhere in the middle.

"Liverpool as a city and a football club is very emotional and that's what makes us what we are. I don't think people out there should be telling Liverpool supporters how they should feel. Liverpool supporters can feel how they want about this situation."

Carragher, of course, is absolutely right. No person has any right to tell another person how or what they should feel about any given situation.

The problem is that Carragher, as someone in the media, has suggested how supporters should feel in the past himself, and that's what grates.

When Harry Kane left Tottenham for Bayern Munich in 2023 - a move not dissimilar to Alexander-Arnold's Real Madrid move, bar the excess of trophies the Liverpool man won in his time on Merseyside and the huge fee Spurs received for their all-time top goalscorer - there were differing opinions from Spurs supporters.

Of course most will have wanted Kane to stay and remain loyal to the Lilywhites, but others were happy for him and felt he deserved a shot at winning trophies, something he did not manager with Spurs.

But when Kane failed to win a single thing in his first year with Bayern, it did give some supporters something to smile about. He has, of course, rectified that this time around, with Bayern being confirmed as Bundesliga champions at the weekend - Kane's first ever trophy win.

Last year, though, Carragher said: "There is always this sort of criticism of him or maybe people laughing at him because he never really won a trophy at all at Tottenham.

"He goes to Bayern Munich, serial winners, and then he doesn’t win a trophy. I don’t understand the ridicule. This is a guy who is one of the top strikers in world football, certainly from an English point of view, we should be proud that one of our players has gone over to the Bundesliga, one of the biggest teams in the world and he is producing one of the best seasons we have seen from an English player playing abroad.

“People ridicule him, whether it’s Spurs fans, who should actually be proud of him that one of their players is playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world and he has come through their academy."

Carragher told us that we shouldn't ridicule him and that we should be proud that one of our academy players was now playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Personally I am proud of him and I was accepting of him leaving to go and further his career. But I'm not necessarily like everyone else. Some people bear a grudge, football means everything to them; just like it does to Liverpool fans.

Liverpool supporters are not unique. It doesn't mean more to them than anyone else. We all love this game and we all have the right to feel how we feel.

Tottenham Hotspur now look set to be on a level playing field compared to Manchester United ahead of a potential Europa League final.

Spurs and United are overwhelming favourites to both reach the Europa League final from their current positions in their respective semi-final ties.

Ange Postecoglou's side have a 3-1 lead over Bodo/Glimt as they travel to Norway for the second leg on Thursday night. Man United have a 3-0 advantage over Athletic Club as they host the Spanish outfit in midweek in their semi-final second leg.

If both Spurs and United reach the Europa League final they would then meet in the showpiece fixture in Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21.

But now neither Spurs nor United have an advantage or disadvantage going into the potential final matchup later this month.

It has been confirmed by the Premier League that Tottenham's clash against Aston Villa is set to be moved from Sunday, May 18 to Friday, May 16 with a 7.30pm kick-off at Villa Park.

This means that Spurs' clash would kick off on the same day as Man United travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which also takes place on May 16.

Previously, Man United would have had 48 more hours than Tottenham to prepare for the Europa League final, which would be the subsequent fixture for both clubs.

Thanks to the rescheduling by the Premier League, Spurs will have the same amount of time to prepare for the Europa League final against United, provided both clubs get past their respective opponents in the semi-final.

Postecoglou is expected to be without several key players for the semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt.

James Maddison missed the draw with West Ham with a knee injury, but Dominic Solanke could return after not featuring in the trip to the London Stadium. Son Heung-Min, Lucas Bergvall and Radu Dragusin also missed the stalemate with the Hammers due to injury.

Julian Alvarez has urged Cristian Romero to join Atletico Madrid ahead of the summer transfer window. The 27-year-old defender faces an uncertain future at Tottenham Hotspur, having recently expressed his desire to play in the Spanish top flight.

Romero, who has two years left on his contract in north London, has featured 18 times in the Premier League this season, keeping just two clean sheets. The Argentina international missed a large chunk of the campaign due to injury, suffering a hamstring problem shortly after coming back from spell on the sidelines.

Despite his best efforts, Tottenham have spent much of the campaign in the bottom half of the table. Ange Postecoglou's side certainly suffered in Romero's absence, going on a seven-game winless streak during the festive period.

While Spurs have been rather disappointing on the domestic stage, the Argentinean has led them to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. With European football far from guaranteed, Romero has been linked with an exit.

In an interview with Spanish outlet Diario AS, Alvarez endorsed the signing of the Tottenham defender. As quoted by Fabrizio Romano and World Soccer Talk, the Atletico striker said: "Hopefully Cuti Romero comes [to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium].

"He would help us a lot. Atlético Madrid is a family. It’s more similar to Argentina than the Premier League," added Alvarez. Last month, Romero revealed that he 'would love to play in the Spanish top flight.

"La Liga is left for me to play in, I would love to, to tell you the truth," the Spurs defender told Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports. "I would love to play there because it’s the league I’m missing."

Romero added: "I try to above all live the day to day. There are almost two months until the championship ends and in my head it’s always (about) performing to the maximum, trying to finish in the best way possible.

"We’re in the semi-final of the Europa League. It’s an important step for the club after so many years where they hadn’t reached those stages. To say I’m happy (with that)?

"No, because in the end I want to win it, but it depends on a lot of things. After that, once the championship finishes, we’ll see. The truth is I haven’t spoken to my representative yet but I’m open to anything.

"In my head, I always (think about) growing, also (about) going to new places to keep growing but I don’t want to talk about that yet because there’s a few months left of the championship."

There's no smoke without fire. According to The Athletic, Atletico are interested in signing Romero, with Diego Simeone eager to bolster his backline this summer.

The report claims that the Spanish giants have already submitted an enquiry about the Tottenham defender, who has been given a £60m price tag. It's said that the Lilywhites' transfer strategy will largely depend on the fate of Postecoglou, who faces an uncertain future himself.

Tottenham Hotspur have a UEFA rule to thank ahead of their Europa League semi-final against Bod/Glimt.

Spurs hold a 3-1 lead over the Norwegian club going into the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday night.

Victory over two legs Ange Postecoglou's side would see them reach the Europa League final, where they would face either Manchester United or Athletic Club in Bilbao later this month.

Postecoglou will hope to have as many players available for the trip to Norway on Thursday night, one of whom will be Cristian Romero.

The centre-back has played a pivotal role in helping Spurs reach the Europa League final, and Postecoglou will hope to have the centre-back available to face Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night.

It was in the first leg that Romeo picked up a yellow card, which was his second of the Europa League campaign so far.

Players who pick up three bookings in the tournament are automatically handed a one-match ban.

Luckily for Tottenham, this threshold is wiped out after the conclusion of the quarter-final stage.

That means even if Romero was to get his third booking of the season in the second leg against Bodo/Glimt, he would not be issued a one-match ban and is not in danger of missing the Europa League final.

The only way that Romero would be forced to have a suspension for the Europa League final against either Manchester United or Athletic Club is if he gets either a red card or two yellow cards against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.

Romero was an unused substitute for Spurs in their draw with West Ham in the Premier League and the weekend and could return for the second leg against Bodo/Glimt in midweek with a place in the final up for grabs.

Tottenham know it really is make or break in their season now. The first leg of the Europa League semi-final went almost exactly to plan for Ange Postecoglou, with his side racing into an early lead against Bodo/Glimt.

Brennan Johnson's early goal put the team on the right track, with James Maddison adding a second before half-time to put them in a commanding position. Things were looking rosy after an hour when Dominic Solanke added a third from the penalty spot, but the last half-hour of the game could have gone better.

First, Maddison went down with an injury, and it looks likely to be one which rules the England international of at least the second leg of the tie. Postecoglou revealed after the game against West Ham that "it doesn't look great" on the midfielder's prognosis, which does not bode well for the rest of the season.

Then, Solanke himself went down with a problem and was subbed. He missed the game against West Ham, though things do look better for him than Maddison.

Then the opponents grabbed a foothold in the tie. A 3-1 win is impressive in any semi-final; but the late goal offers just a glimmer of hope for the Norwegian side, heading back to their home which has been a stronghold this season.

With a raft of changes made for the trip to the London Stadium, more yet are expected for the biggest game of the season so far for Spurs. But who will be starting at Aspmyra Stadion?

Defensive changes

While Guglielmo Vicario started in goal as usual, the entire backline was changed for the draw against West Ham. Out went Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie; in came Archie Gray, Kevin Danso, Ben Davies and Djed Spence.

It seems likely that the changes will be reversed for the trip to Norway. Postecoglou will want his top players available to do a professional job and hold onto the two-goal advantage, and the defence who started the first leg are just that.

Midfield issue

Rodrigo Bentancur is sure to come back into the midfield in place of either Yves Bissouma or Pape Matar Sarr. After decent displays in his last two outings, Bissouma looks set to keep his place in the XI.

With the injury to Maddison, Postecoglou faces what looks a fairly simple decision on the surface. His replacement on the night was Dejan Kulusevski, who also started the game against West Ham on Sunday.

However, the Swedish star hasn't looked himself since returning from injury midway through April. In truth, he's played an awful lot of football this year and looks ready for the season to reach its conclusion and a well-earned break.

So it will likely come down to whether Postecoglou opts for more defensive stability in Sarr or some attacking creativity in Kulusevski.

Attack

It would be a surprise if Johnson didn't start after being an unused sub against West Ham. The attacker was key to the quick start in the first leg and should be well-rested to try and pick up another early goal to kill off the tie.

Elsewhere, Postecoglou did state that Solanke looks likely to be fit for the trip to Norway. "Dom's improving," he said. "We obviously left him out today but the medical team are pretty confident he should be right for Thursday."

That would indicate that he will be coming in to start in the No.9 role. Then it's a choice of who plays on the left. Richarlison started there against Bodo/Glimt but was withdrawn at half-time for Mathys Tel, who also made an impression as he started against West Ham.

Will Postecoglou be tempted to start the on-loan Bayern Munich star? Or will he repeat his method from the first leg? It's an interesting choice, and one which could prove key as Spurs go hunting for a place in the final.

Harry Kane has issued an emotional message after winning the first major trophy of career. The former Tottenham forward, now at Bayern Munich, claimed the Bundesliga title - without playing - on Sunday.

Bayern were denied the chance to win the German top-flight on Saturday when they were held to a 3-3 draw against RB Leipzig, and had to wait until 24 hours later to have their moment.

This is because Bayer Leverkusen squandered the opportunity to keep the title race alive as they drew 2-2 at Freiburg.

It meant that Kane and some his Bayern teammates enjoyed a night full of partying as they celebrated winning the Bundesliga with two matches to go. Kane linked up with ex-Tottenham pal Eric Dier, captain Joshua Kimmich and former Arsenal man Serge Gnabry to toast the achievement.

The quartet, in several Instagram videos, were pictured singing 'We are the champions' by Queen, and Kane looked overwhelmed after ending his long wait to pick up a major honour.

And it's safe to say Kane enjoyed the evening, as he sent a message to the Bayern fans and his followers on social media. He said: "Hi everyone, what a night last night, what a celebration with the players, with the staff. I am sure everyone's feeling it a little bit this morning, but we're here and I feel amazing.

"It's been a long time coming. Obviously a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication. And it just feels sweet to win the title and the first one of my career. So, I appreciate all the support as always, it never goes unnoticed and I can't wait to enjoy these next couple of weeks.

"I can't wait to be at the Allianz on Saturday and celebrate in front of the fans. And then as always we look forward to the next one and we go again and try and get number two. So I appreciate it and I'll see you all soon."

Kane's Instagram video was 'liked' by former Tottenham team-mate Christian Eriksen, now at Manchester United, and Eriksen's fellow Red Matthijs De Ligt, who used to pay for Bayern with Kane before moving to Old Trafford in the summer.

Kane and Bayern will lift the Bundesliga title following their game against Borussia Monchengladbach at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

Bayern wrap up their domestic campaign with a trip to Hoffenheim a week later.

However, that isn't the last game for Vincent Kompany's side this season. Bayern are in the Club World Cup and face the prospect of travelling out to the United States for the inaugural tournament in June.

Bayern have been drawn up against Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica in a difficult-looking group as the German champions look to win the Club World Cup for the second time.

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane admitted he feels "amazing" after winning the first silverware of his career following Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title success.

Bayern were crowned champions on Sunday after second-placed Bayer Leverkusen could only draw 2-2 at Freiburg. England captain Kane appeared bleary-eyed and sounded hoarse on Monday as he reflected on the celebrations.

“What a night last night, what a celebration with the players, with the staff – I’m sure everyone’s feeling it a little bit this morning,” he said in a video posted on Instagram. “But we’re here and I feel amazing. It’s been a long time coming.

“Obviously a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication, and it just feels sweet to win the title and the first one of my career.”

With Kane forced to watch from the stands due to a one-match ban, Bayern were seconds away from wrapping up the title on Saturday before conceding an added-time equaliser in a 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig. Eric Dier, another ex-Spurs man winning his first major trophy, scored Bayern’s first goal.

Defending champions Leverkusen, managed by Xabi Alonso, needed to win each of their remaining three games to stay in contention. Kane has narrowly missed out on major honours numerous times during his prolific career, including finishing a runner-up at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 with England and in the 2019 Champions League final with Tottenham.

The 31-year-old’s maiden winner’s medal comes more than 14 years since his professional debut and following 447 goals in 694 appearances for club and country. Kane – the Bundesliga’s top scorer this term with 24 goals – is set to return to action on Saturday when Borussia Monchengladbach visit the Allianz Arena.

“I appreciate all the support as always, it never goes unnoticed and I can’t wait to enjoy these next couple of weeks,” he continued. “I can’t wait to be at the Allianz on Saturday and celebrate in front of the fans and then as always we look forward to the next one and we go again and try and get number two.”

Mathys Tel enjoyed another bright Tottenham display against West Ham United this past weekend - and this time some end product arrived - albeit in unexpected circumstances.

The Frenchman, 20, was one of players brought into Ange Postecoglou's starting XI after their Europa League semi-final victory against Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt. Unsurprisingly, after suffering injuries in that game, Dominic Solanke and James Maddison were absent with a mixed update provided on their conditions.

"No, it doesn't look great, but we're just waiting for further information," Postecoglou said of Maddison in a press conference. "We'll just wait and see. Hopefully, we'll probably get some clarity tomorrow.

"It's fair to say it doesn't look promising, but I'll just wait and see."

"Dom's improving," he continued. "We obviously left him out today, but the medical team are pretty confident he should be right for Thursday."

Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert and Tel therefore came into a new-look front four with the latter two players inadvertently combining for the opener at London Stadium. Good pressing from Tel, but poor defending by Max Kilman, saw Spurs win possession high up the pitch.

The Bayern Munich loannee tried to pick out Richarlison, but his pass was overhit. Initially, he reacted angrily and put his hands on his head - however, Odobert was waiting at the back post and he was able to calmly finish past Alphonse Areola.

Although Tel has scored three times for Tottenham already, that was his first assist and it was further evidence of the ability he undoubtedly possesses. Having been named on the bench for the Europa League semi-final first leg, Tel will be hoping for a start in the Arctic Circle.

Postecoglou hinted during his press conference that some of the displays from the weekend will come into his thinking for Thursday. The Tottenham boss was then asked specifically about Tel, to which he offered a glowing verdict.

"Yeah, we're asking some big jobs of him, playing on the left and then in the centre," he said.

"He's constantly learning. A lot of our guys, I know, will develop into top footballers. They have to go through this process of learning and adapting and understanding the demands of the Premier League and the demands of this football club.

"We've asked a lot of Matty since he's come in. He's pretty much played in every game at some point.

"He's taken in the information and he understands the role a little bit better, especially out on the left.

"Again, important for us. These last few weeks we've obviously had Sonny out. We've needed him to fill that void and I think he's done that job well." Given that Richarlison came off on 68 minutes, another start for Tel on the left seems likely if Solanke can be passed fit.

Tel will, therefore, be hoping to make an impact from the bench and help guide Spurs into a Europa League final - likely against Manchester United after their 3-0 in the first leg away at Athletic Club.