Football London

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has explained why Pape Matar Sarr's goal in Tottenham's 1-0 Premier League defeat to Chelsea earlier this month was ruled out.

Ange Postecoglou's men were 1-0 down against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge thanks to Enzo Fernandez's goal. However, they found themselves level when Sarr's long-range effort beat Robert Sanchez.

Unfortunately for Spurs, the goal was disallowed after the video assistant referee (VAR) overturned the on-field decision. Replays showed that Sarr had missed the ball completely and made contact with Moises Caicedo's knee.

Webb has now offered his thoughts on the decision, suggesting that Sarr's challenge on Caicedo was worthy of a free-kick.

"You can see on the video that Sarr doesn't play the ball. I think you can understand from the referee's position on the field why he thought he did play the ball," he said on Sky Sports' Match Officials Mic'd Up.

"The ball is at the same height as Sarr’s foot and the ball moves forward in the way that it would if Sarr had nudged it forward.

"But the video clearly shows that actually Sarr only makes contact with Caicedo’s knee. But I agree it does take a little bit longer than we would have liked to get to the outcome of disallowing the goal, but we get to the right outcome in the end.

"We didn't want this goal to stand because it was a clear foul. Also, it would have been incorrect to send him off because it's not excessive force, it's a reckless contact, so yellow card.

"So we used this tool to get to the outcome. It's worth taking a bit of time to do that and that's what we saw in this situation."

During the show, soundbites of VAR's communication with on-field referee Craig Pawson were shown. The VAR officials reviewed the incident before sending Pawson to the Referee Review Area.

"Studs to the knee, doesn't play the ball," VAR Jarred Gillett said. "I think it's a clear foul.

The 2-1 defeat for Tottenham Hotspur at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday was loss number 18 for the club this season. The pressure on head coach Ange Postecoglou has never been greater.

But despite the club languishing in 16th this season, the next few weeks for Spurs could turn out to be hugely lucrative for them, with a two-legged Europa League semi-final with Norwegian side FK Bodø/Glimt to come. To be crowned overall winners of European football’s second-tier competition would deliver UEFA Champions League football next season, despite what has been a miserable campaign thus far.

It has been widely reported about just how much Champions League participation is worth to Spurs and Manchester United, another member of the ‘big six’ who have suffered domestically this season. United remain in the hunt for Europa League glory themselves, facing Spanish side Athletic Bilbao in their semi-final. The stakes are high. Success in the Champions League beyond the group stage can now be worth some £100m and upwards thanks to the revamped competition and the extra fixtures and larger prize pot.

There is, however, still money at play in the Premier League for Spurs, money that isn’t insignificant.

While Postecoglou will likely be minded to throw his all into the Europa League given the perilous position he is in with regards to his job, the remaining five games for Spurs could still unlock millions from the Premier League’s central payments for next season.

Two points separate Everton in 13th and West Ham United in 17th. It could, on the face of it, with none of the club’s in danger of the drop, be a series of dead rubbers for the clubs involved until the end of the season, but there should be motivation through the additional sums on offer for the final positions.

Spurs could finish as high as eighth, mathematically. They almost certainly won’t, however, and it is the battle between 13th and 17th where energy will be focused, with Crystal Palace six points ahead of 13th-placed Everton.

Were Spurs to finish in 16th then they would receive a merit payment, which is derived from domestic and international broadcast sums that come into the Premier League, of £14m, a split of £8.4m from domestic and £5.6m from international rights.

To finish in 13th would bring in £22.5m, a sum £8.5m larger than what Spurs would receive for finishing 16th. Were Spurs to drop to 17th by the end of the season then that gap in terms of lost revenue would stretch out to £11.2m. To put that into some context, that is the same amount of money that is around double the prize money that Spurs have accrued from their run to the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly edging closer to parting ways with Ange Postecoglou but the exact manner of his exit is, as of yet, unknown.

The Australian watched on as his side suffered their 18th Premier League defeat of the season on Monday night with a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Finishing in the top half of the table has looked far-fetched for a while now and although they are safe from relegation, they could still end up as low as 17th when the season culminates next month.

Postecoglou could still lead this team to silverware though with the Europa League offering a potential route to the Champions League. Bodo/Glimt await in the semi-finals with the winner taking on either Athletic Bilbao or Manchester United in the final.

According to The Telegraph, even winning the Europa League may not be enough for Postecoglou to stay next season. It is claimed that there is a growing sense that he will leave at the end of this campaign either by being sacked or agreeing a mutual exit.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is thought to be close to sacking Postecoglou if the north London club fall short in the Europa League. Whereas if they were to win it, Postecoglou may decide to leave the club on a high.

With the end seemingly on the horizon for the 59-year-old, bookmakers Betfair are already running a market for his replacement. United States head coach and ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino (5/2) is the favourite to succeed Postecoglou having already declared his desire to return to Spurs in the future.

Oliver Glasner (7/2) is also thought to be in the running after doing a good job at Crystal Palace. In February 2024, the Austrian visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before signing a deal with the Eagles, leading some to speculate at the time that he may have been sounded out by Levy but that did not come to fruition.

Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola (9/2) rounds out the frontrunners for the Spurs job. The Spaniard has managed to ensure that the Cherries have punched above their weight in the top flight this season and a spot in Europe for them next season is still on the cards.

Take a look below at a selection of the other managers being tipped to take over from Postecoglou.

It's that time of the season when Tottenham's loan players will either end their campaigns away from the club with joy or frustration and one has already tasted the former.

As the season winds towards its close, Spurs have got 13 players out on loan. It's technically 14 if you want to count Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg who is set to join Marseille permanently, while Luka Vuskovic is preparing to join Tottenham this summer after reaching his 18th birthday. The teenager is at Westerlo in Belgium on loan from Hajduk Split, alongside Spurs midfielder Alfie Devine, so we've been including him in our loan round-ups throughout this campaign.

Bryan Gil looks to have played the last game of his Girona loan spell after undergoing knee surgery last month so he can only watch on from the sidelines.

football.london has taken a look at how his fellow Spurs team-mates got on this week across England, Spain and Belgium.

Alfie Devine and Luka Vuskovic (Westerlo)

Luka Vuskovic has been speaking about why he chose a switch to Tottenham this summer despite some major competition from Europe's biggest clubs such as Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City when Spurs made their move in 2023.

"I heard about Tottenham's interest just a few weeks before my signing. I walked into the locker room after training and got a call from my father: 'Tottenham want you, everything is in order, all that's missing is your signature!'" the teenager said in an interview with l'avenir.

"I was obviously surprised, as I had only played 11 matches with Hajduk Split. I visited the training complex and the stadium. The [Tottenham] management gave me a presentation, highlighting my strengths, but also the areas for improvement. I was quickly charmed by the project."

He added: "When I heard the figure of 11 million euros, I just thought about the fact that I was breaking the record for the biggest transfer out of Hajduk Split. It was an incredible feeling to financially help this club that means so much to me. For the rest, I saw this transfer as a reward for my daily work, that's all."

On earning a spot in Tottenham's starting XI, the 18-year-old is confident in his own abilities.

"I think it's possible, even though there are already world-class players, like Van de Ven and Romero," he said. "I want to take it step by step, finish the season well at Westerlo, then earn my place at Tottenham, and then we'll see what the future holds."

First up are the remaining matches with Westerlo and amid an illness going around the camp, Vuskovic only played seven minutes at the end of Saturday's 1-1 draw at Standard Liege while Tuesday night brings another game as Westerlo travel to Mechelen in the Jupiler Pro League Europe play-offs.

Alfie Devine missed out on the game at the weekend through that illness and will be hoping to play some part in Tuesday night's encounter.

Manor Solomon (Leeds United)

Manor Solomon helped Leeds secure automatic promotion as they won 6-0 at home against Stoke City on Monday and then watched Burnley beat Sheffield United later in the day to ensure both the Clarets and the Elland Road side will return immediately to the Premier League.

Leeds sit on top of the Championship on goal difference and will now be hoping to lift the title with two games to go to hold on to the top spot.

Solomon bagged two assists in Monday's win, having scored the winning goal in Friday's 1-0 win at Oxford United.

Solomon received a nine in Leeds Live's player ratings from Monday's match with the review: "Of course he got an assist. Actually, two. Showed great poise, accuracy and awareness to cross back to Piroe in the opener. Sublime cross for Gnonto's header."

The 25 year-old has racked up 12 assists and nine goals in 39 matches so far for Leeds and the club's promotion will give them a great chance of securing Solomon's permanent future, although there is expected to be plenty of interest in the winger's services this summer.

Ashley Phillips (Stoke City)

Ashley Phillips was on the wrong end of that Leeds hammering on Monday with Stoke as they sit 17th in the table and remain four points above the drop zone with two games to go.

The 19-year-old earned a 4.5 in Stoke-on-Trent Live's player ratings with the words: "Caught running to the wrong fires in the first half as he tried to get in the way of onslaughts but left space behind him."

Phillips has impressed though on the whole during a difficult season with Stoke, who have gone through managers like hot dinners.

Alfie Dorrington (Aberdeen)

Alfie Dorrington will be looking forward to a Scottish Cup final appearance after Aberdeen made it through their semi-final with Heart of Midlothian at the weekend thanks to an extra-time victory.

The 20-year-old played 105 minutes of the 2-1 win and had to watch on hopefully for the second half of extra-time before Aberdeen took their place in the final against Celtic on May 24 at Hampden Park.

Dorrington, who made his Spurs and Premier League debut this season at Southampton, has grabbed his opportunity within the Scottish side to get a run of starts in the centre of defence.

He has now made 12 appearances for Aberdeen, getting 802 minutes of senior football under his belt north of the border.

Yang Min-hyeok (QPR)

Yang Min-hyeok continued to get game time in the Championship as he played 66 minutes in the 2-1 win at Preston and then 67 minutes in the defeat by the same scoreline to Swansea on Monday, but he faced a tough afternoon.

The 19-year-old received a five in West London Sport's player ratings for Monday's defeat with the review: "Has run hot and cold since his loan move and was poor in this game, offering very little going forward and absolutely nothing in terms of defensive cover on the left."

Will Lankshear (West Bromwich Albion)

Will Lankshear got more senior minutes to his name over the Easter weekend. He was taken off at half-time on Friday with West Brom a goal down at Coventry but the Baggies conceded again and failed to score.

The 20-year-old then played 64 minutes of the 3-1 defeat at home to struggling Derby which resulted in manager Tony Mowbray getting the sack from the Championship club, who need a miracle to grab the final play-off spot as they are currently six points off the pace in 10th place with two games to go.

Lankshear will have former Albion midfielder James Morrison in interim charge as his boss, assisted by Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill, for the final two matches.

Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient)

Jamie Donley scored another beautiful goal for Leyton Orient this season as they won 2-1 at Cambridge United on Monday.

The 20-year-old Northern Ireland international flicked the ball up with his left foot before hooking a volley across the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

That followed on from two assists in the 4-3 victory at home against Barnsley on Friday, with Donley really coming up trumps for Orient just when they need him the most in the play-off charge.

His Spurs team-mate Josh Keeley has been a rock in goal and made his 34th consecutive start in League One for Orient in a season which has brought 15 clean sheets in the competition.

Orient now sit sixth in the League One table, vying with Reading for the final play-off spot and have some tough games as they will take on automatic promotion-chasing Wycombe at home on Saturday and then travel to Huddersfield on the final day of the regular season.

Alejo Veliz (Espanyol)

Alejo Veliz continued his run of watching on from the bench as he was left among the substitutes for the 1-0 home win against Getafe.

The 21-year-old striker will be hoping to get some minutes on Tuesday night as Espanyol travel to Valencia in La Liga.

Matthew Craig (Mansfield Town)

Matthew Craig was back in action to play 63 minutes of the 3-3 draw at Rotherham United on Friday but was not in the squad for the 5-1 home hammering at the hands of Reading on Easter Monday as he struggled with illness.

The 22-year-old had only just got back into action after a hamstring injury and will be hoping he's back to play in the final games of the campaign.

George Abbott (Notts County)

George Abbott had a mixed Easter weekend with Notts County with a 90-minute showing in the 1-1 draw at second-placed Bradford on Friday.

However, he also played the full disappointing game as County lost 2-1 at home to 16th-placed Cheltenham to ensure that the race for the play-off spots remain nervy going into the final couple of matches with Abbott's side in seventh place in the League Two table.

The 19-year-old has now made 41 appearances for County, with 12 goal involvements.

Luca Gunter (Wealdstone)

Luca Gunter had to sit on the bench for the Easter weekend as Wealdstone lost 2-0 at Boston United on Friday and then drew 1-1 at home with Maidenhead United, two games with National League strugglers trying to grab much-needed points before the end of the season.

There is interest from various clubs in the 20-year-old goalkeeper for another loan move next season if Tottenham decide to send him out again.

Cristian Romero's Tottenham future is once again a talking point following an interview he conducted that was published in his homeland of Argentina. Parts of the interview that took place at Spurs' Hotspur Way training base recently began to emerge shortly after the team's 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Monday evening.

Romero's next move and a potential switch to La Liga has been mentioned numerous times in the past, with Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid credited with an interest in the World Cup winner. The defender mentioned that his focus in on Tottenham's end of the season at present and that he is "open to anything" despite not having spoken with his agent yet regarding his future.

Speaking to the Argentine journalists Esteban and Gaston Edul for Los Edul, Romero was asked what is next for him. He replied: "No, well, I try, above all else, to always live day by day. There are almost two months left until the end of the season, and my focus is always on performing at my best and trying to finish in the best way possible.

"We’re in the Europa League semi-final, which is an important step for the club. After so many years of not making it this far, I can say I’m happy, because in the end, I’d like to win it. It depends on many things.

"But yeah, after this, when the season ends, we’ll see. Honestly, I haven’t spoken with my agent yet, but I’m open to anything.

"My mindset is always about growing, also about going to new places to keep developing, but I don’t want to talk about that just yet because there are still a few months left before the season ends.”

Asked which league that he hasn't played in yet would he like to compete in, Romero said: "Yes, the league I’m missing is Spain’s. I’d love to, honestly. La Liga. I’d love to play there because it’s the one I haven’t played in yet."

So what exactly does the future hold for Romero and what should Tottenham's decision be come the summer? football.london's writers have delivered their verdicts below:

Alasdair Gold

Much depends on the offers that arrive for Cristian Romero this summer because Tottenham will want far more than the £42.5million or so they paid for the Argentine back in 2021.

Since then the 26-year-old has won a World Cup and a second Copa America with his country as well as having made 100 Premier League appearances and 121 in total for Spurs.

Romero's desire or not to sign a new contract, with two years remaining on his current deal, will play a key part in any decision Tottenham make over bids that come in this summer but you would think they would want at least £60million for a World Cup winner and vice-captain of their team.

His lack of availability this season will also play a role in Spurs' decision-making with the centre-back only appearing in 18 Premier League matches and 23 of Spurs' 53 games during this campaign.

If La Liga is Romero's chosen destination, as his latest interview suggests, then Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico would be the three likely candidates but it's all on who would meet the price tag or if they will all wait another year until Tottenham have to lower their demands.

Rob Guest

I think this summer will see Cristian Romero's time at Tottenham come to an end. However, it is all going to come down to a club submitting an acceptable offer to Daniel Levy and Spurs.

Reports have recently suggested that Atletico Madrid are hopeful of signing him for £43million, but any interested club would realistically have to offer a lot more money, perhaps around the £60million mark, to even start a conversation with Tottenham. Romero signed for £42.5million in 2021 and the north London club will want to make a tidy profit on their player.

After all, he is a key player in Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham team and he has also won the World Cup and two Copa Americas with Argentina. As the 27-year-old's contract expires at the end of the 2026/27 campaign, this summer is ideally the time to part with him if he's not going to extend his contract as his price tag will only decrease in value the closer it gets to its expiry date.

Spurs will sign Kevin Danso on a permanent transfer this summer and they also have the very talented Luka Vuskovic set to arrive in N17 ahead of next season, thus leaving them with options at the back even before a possible Romero replacement is signed. Romero has performed well for Tottenham since his move from Atalanta but he may now only have a handful of games remaining if the club are to receive an offer they deem acceptable this summer, with Spain his most likely destination.

Sam Truelove

Those were some rather strange comments made by Cristian Romero. What was he thinking? At a time when Tottenham are struggling in the Premier League but hoping to win the Europa League, those comments will help nobody.

He's a good player, of course, and has won the World Cup with Argentina for good reason. But he hasn't performed well enough in a Spurs shirt this season. His injury problems have not helped but he's made too many mistakes for a player of his calibre. To me, his mind is elsewhere and Spurs should look to sell him this summer.

That should only happen, though, if they get a decent offer. Something over £60million should do it. Maybe even that is too low. But a replacement should be signed, someone younger and hungrier to win. Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen could be an ideal buy.

Tom Coley

Cristian Romero is a loose cannon. He's unreliable, and Tottenham really need to find a foundation to try and build on. The partnership he formed with Micky van de Ven at the start of last season feels like a long time ago.

He hasn't been helped by Ange Postecoglou's system which leaves the defence entirely open but on an individual level he is meant to be a senior member of this side and simply isn't living up to that billing.

There is enough quality for someone to be interested in buying Romero this summer and Tottenham can afford to try and reshape their backline without him.

Kieran Horn

Despite the suggestion that he only cares about Argentina and the controversial comments made by Cristian Romero himself, he is a fantastic defender and the club should try to keep him at all costs.

The 2024/25 season has been far from ideal for him and Tottenham, but his performance against Eintracht Frankfurt is proof of his abilities. There have been lapses in concentration since his return from injury but with the ball, he is undeniably one of the best around.

Interest from Spain is definitely present and it could be easier for all parties if he does depart but that will be dependent on a sizeable bid arriving.

If that were to happen, one positive is that Spurs already have replacements with Kevin Danso brought on board in January while Luka Vuskovic will officially arrive in north London this summer. Another centre-back will likely still be needed though and the uncertain future of Ange Postecoglou also complicates matters.

Joe Doyle

Naturally, the comments are far from ideal timing for Spurs. And it's tough to see that being unintentional on Cristian Romero's part.

He's a very talented defender. But I'm not sure he's quite living up to the billing recently as one of the better centre-backs in the league. That coupled with his injury record mean he's not quite as irreplaceable as he once may have been.

Then there's the addition of Kevin Danso in January, hinting pretty heavily that Spurs may already have their long-term replacement for Romero. I think it only really points in one direction for the Argentina international, and that's the exit door.

Having said that, Spurs won't sell him cheaply. Romero may have designs on clubs at the top of La Liga, but whether any of those will pay up for him remains to be seen - especially with Real Madrid's recent tactic of waiting until players are out of contract to make their move.

If a good offer comes in, sell him.

Bodo/Glimt could now have four key players absent for the first leg of their upcoming Europa League semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs are set to meet the Norwegian champions over two legs in early May with a spot in the final at Estadio de San Mames up for grabs against either Athletic Club or Manchester United. The Lilywhites beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 on aggregate this past Thursday, but were swiftly brought back down to earth on Monday.

In the final fixture of gameweek 33, Nottingham Forest beat Spurs 2-1 with Ange Postecoglou resting a number of key players. Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke were among those to play a limited role while Destiny Udogie and James Maddison did not feature at all.

Four days on from their own European heroics against Lazio, Bodo/Glimt suffered a surprise blow as they let a two-goal lead slip away at Molde in Eliteserien action. It was a strong first half from Kjetil Knutsen's side as they went 2-0 up but the hosts fought back to pick up their first point of the season.

Alongside losing out on two points, Ole Blomberg left the clash after just 15 minutes due to injury. It is unclear whether the issue was muscular or impact but it was serious enough to see him taken off.

The Norwegian giants play twice before the first leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and therefore clarity on his fitness is expected to emerge soon. If the 24-year-old cannot feature, he will join captain Patrick Berg, Hakon Evjen and Andreas Helmersen as players that will miss the first leg.

The latter, having scored the decisive goal that took their quarter-final to penalties, was sent off, while the other two are suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

It could have been far worse for Bodo/Glimt however, with Fredrik Bjorkan, Jostein Gundersen, Fredrik Sjovold and Isak Matta at risk of being banned, but they all avoided bookings and thus cannot be suspended going forward unless they are sent off, according to Article 52.04 of UEFA's handbook.

"Exceptionally, all yellow cards and pending yellow-card suspensions expire on completion of the play-offs," it states. "They are not carried forward to the group stage. In addition, all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals."

Yellow cards during the second leg for any of Yves Bissouma, Lucas Bergvall or Dejan Kulusevski would've also seen them miss out but thankfully for Postecoglou, only Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur were booked.

UEFA have handed a payment worth £1.5million to Tottenham Hotspur after the club allowed players to participate in national tournaments.

It was confirmed by UEFA that all 20 Premier League clubs, including Spurs, have received a payment as part of the Club Benefits Programme.

A total of £200million has been distributed across 900 clubs in Europe, with Tottenham receiving a portion of those funds.

The payment has been received after Tottenham granted permission for their players to participate in UEFA tournaments from 2020-24. This includes two Nations League campaigns, European qualifiers and Euro 2024 last summer.

The payment of €1.77million (£1.5million) has been given to Spurs. However, Tottenham and the other 900 clubs did not receive any money from the players that featured during Euro 2020, which was delayed until the summer of 2021.

All 901 clubs were equally awarded payments for their players who linked up with the national teams to compete in either European qualifiers or the Nations League. In the case of Euro 2024 last summer, clubs were paid on a per player per day basis.

It wasn't just Tottenham that received money from UEFA as part of the Club Benefits Programme. Arsenal pocketed funds, too, totalling €3.89million (£3.34million), the second-highest among Premier League clubs.

Manchester City received the most money from UEFA as part of the programme with €5.17million (£4.44million).

Liverpool were third on the list with €3.54million (£3.04million), while Manchester United earned €3.16million (£2.71million) and Chelsea received €2.62million (£2.25million).

This will not be the only money that Tottenham will receive from UEFA this year. The club's participation and progression through the Europa League will also earn extra millions, with the club currently preparing to face Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final early next month.

Commenting on the solidarity payments, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: "It is fantastic to see clubs of all sizes and levels, across the entire football pyramid, receiving financial rewards for their vital role in developing players who contribute to the success of our national team competitions - including the highly successful UEFA EURO 2024 final tournament.

"Every success of our competitions is a shared one, and this benefits programme is another testament to that principle, recognising the dedication of those who work tirelessly to make European football the greatest sport in the world. When football thrives, everyone benefits."

And Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of the ECA, said: "I am very pleased see that more than 900 clubs from all corners of Europe have benefited from this unprecedented distribution under the Club Benefits Programme, which is a key pillar of UEFA and ECA’s Memorandum of Understanding.

"This initiative recognises that clubs play a vital role in the ongoing success of national team football through developing, employing and releasing players; and also that the national team game in-turn drives the development of clubs and their communities.

"This harmonious relationship perfectly reflects the great collaboration between UEFA and ECA today, driving growth, innovation and the positive development of European football in the interests of all."

Dejan Kulusevski has admitted his recent absence from the Tottenham team was down to a stress fracture in his foot. Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou had revealed at the time that his player had been sidelined by a foot issue but never specified the exact nature of the injury.

The Swede made his return to the Tottenham team in the recent defeat at Wolves, before playing 45 minutes at Eintracht Frankfurt last Thursday and then 67 minutes against Nottingham Forest on Monday night. Speaking to SPURSPLAY about the 2-1 home defeat to Forest, the Stockholm-born player opened up on his recovery and stated that he's "feeling great" ahead of some key fixtures on the calendar.

"I'm very angry [with the defeat], but you've got to think about the process. You can't give up. It was good to be back playing football, I felt great and I've just got to be ready for the next game against Liverpool and then the Europa League," said Kulusevski in his club interview.

"I feel great, I've done everything possible to feel good when I came back because I know that with a stress fracture it's not easy, because I couldn't move for a month with a boot on my foot but I did everything right and thanks to that I'm fit now. I'm feeling great so nothing to complain about.

"Honestly I feel great. First start since Ipswich, I came close to scoring. I take the positives, I rest tomorrow and I'll be back the next day."

On his glancing header from Pedro Porro's corner that Harry Toffolo somehow managed to clear off the line, he said: "I've been manifesting it for a couple of months now. I've been waiting for exactly that corner, it finally came.

"As soon as I hit it, I said: 'Finally it's in'. Then, God didn't want it to be inside. It's no problem, it's going to come next time."

Tottenham have had to contend with a busy fixture schedule over the course of the season and that will again be the case as they look to get their hands on the Europa League trophy. Asked about the difference between the Europa League nights and playing in the Premier League, Kulusevski explained how he manages the emotional highs and lows as an individual and trying to get the perfect balance.

"It is. You can see the teams that only play one competition and the other teams that play more competitions," he explained. "It is much more difficult because when you go so high, always the day after you feel drained. You feel no energy and everything. This is what people don't understand.

"That's why you've got to do the right things to be able to come back so you don't drop too much because you lose so much energy and so many things happen in your head when you play big games like that so it's hard to come back. I think that's what footballers have got to figure out."

He added: "I know that some games, you've just got to feel better than other games so I always have a plan. But then, you know that, in life everything can change in a second, like it happened the last time I got injured.

"I didn't plan that, but it just happened. You can have a plan but, usually, it doesn't happen like that. You try to do your best."

Richarlison's goal proved to be too little, too late for Tottenham on Monday evening as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest. It is a result that leaves Ange Postecoglou's side 16th in the Premier League table and there is a chance of them heading into Sunday's fixture at Liverpool one place above the drop zone.

Spurs may have lost against Forest but things could have panned out differently on another night given their dominance against the East Midlands club. The Lilywhites once again gave themselves an uphill task after falling 2-0 behind after 16 minutes following goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood.

Chances were there to get back into the contest before half-time, with Mathys Tel skewing a shot wide of the target and Richarlison missing two headers. The first of those two chances for the Brazilian really should have found the back of the net but he couldn't manage to hit the target after flinging himself at Wilson Odobert's cross.

Richarlison may have been better leaving the ball for Pape Matar Sarr who was steaming in at the back post. Whether or not the attacker received a shout from his teammate to leave the ball is not clear, though.

Prior to that effort, the 27-year-old had seen very little of the ball. In fact, his header was only his fifth touch of the match, thus highlighting that very little had come his way on his return to the starting XI.

Richarlison's second headed attempt prior to half-time also drifted wide of the target, with Tel's delivery from the left just slightly too high for his teammate as he couldn't get fully over it. It did appear that it would be one of those nights for the ex-Everton man as Matz Sels expertly thwarted him on two occasions in the second half.

However, he could do nothing about Richarlison's header in the 87th minute as he found the bottom corner from Pedro Porro's pinpoint delivery. The attacker's missed opportunities will no doubt have been the talking point for fans but one thing that may have been overlooked is that he managed to complete the full game.

It was actually the first time Richarlison had played 90 minutes in 2024/25 after failing to do so in his previous 16 games following an injury-hit campaign. Eighty-one minutes was the best he had managed prior to that and that came in the Europa League home win over Elfsborg in January, with 79 minutes during the 2-0 win at Brentford his previous highest in the Premier League this season.

Speaking ahead of the Forest fixture, Postecoglou admitted that Richarlison is going to get some game time in the next couple of games "because he's looking really good in training". Following the 2-1 defeat, the head coach was then quizzed on the positive of Richarlison scoring again.

"It was part of the exercise today to get him and Wilson, Kulusevski, Kevin Danso some game time because they have missed a hell of a lot of football," he admitted. "Richy has hardly played all year, Deki has been a couple of months, same with Wilson and Kevin.

"From that perspective it was good they all got through it and got some meaningful minutes. We could rest a few others which was also useful for us. From that perspective it was a positive."

Ahead of some huge games in Tottenham's season with a place in the Europa League final up for grabs, Richarlison has received a confidence boost at the perfect time after his goal and 90 minutes in the Nottingham Forest defeat. Now it's about getting more minutes in the tank at Liverpool on Sunday and putting himself in the best possible place to help Tottenham achieve Europa League glory come May.

Bodo/Glimt have been given a major boost ahead of their upcoming clash against Tottenham Hotspur. Next week, Ange Postecoglou's side will host the Norwegian outfit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final.

The Lilywhites defeated Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinal, winning 2-1 on aggregate. The Eagles held Spurs to a 1-1 draw in north London before Dominic Solanke fired Tottenham to victory at the Deutsche Bank Park.

Meanwhile, Bodo/Glimt needed extra time and penalties to get past Lazio. Kjetil Knutsen's side enjoyed a 2-0 win over the Italian giants on home turf before losing 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Norwegian outfit held their nerve in the shootout and waltzed away 3-2 victors. Tottenham will face Bodo/Glimt in north London on Thursday, May 1, before meeting again for the second leg on Thursday, May 8.

Ahead of the first meeting, two changes have been made to the Eliteserien fixture schedule. Knutsen's team were initially set to face Fredrikstad on Thursday, May 1, but the tie has now been moved to Wednesday, July 16.

Bodo/Glimt's clash against Strømsgodset in the Norwegian top-flight has also been moved from Saturday, May 10, to Wednesday, July 30. Rather than squeeze a match between the Europa League semi-final ties – like the Premier League have done for Tottenham – Knutsen's side will have a week to recharge their batteries.

Before Spurs can begin preparations for the second leg, first they must face West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday, May 4. The extra couple of days rest for Bodo/Glimt could prove decisive, giving them a significant advantage.

Speaking to reporters after Tottenham booked a place in the Europa League semi-final, Postecoglou addressed the growing number of games in the calendar. The Spurs boss said: "We know the demands of European football.

"Irrespective of the competition, particularly Europa and Champions League can have a serious effect on your capabilities as a club. Not just us but all clubs. You can see that.

"The two extra games in Europe which are going to be there consistently now, that puts extra strain, so that affects the size of your squad and the profile your squad has. But for me it doesn't really change anything. We need to continue on the profile we've started with. We've got an exciting young squad and we'll continue to improve.

"We've obviously had some challenges this year around particularly injuries and our ability to cope with Europe and domestic [fixtures], and I feel we're better placed to tackle that if we're in Europe next year."

On the manner of Tottenham's win over Frankfurt, Postecoglou said: "We’ve shown that before. A lot of our significant victories even this season have come away from home, whether that be Manchester City away or Man United away or Brentford away.

"Some of our best performances have been away from home, and a similar type performance. There’s always a difference when you play away in Europe. But again, that doesn’t fit into the narrative of me being fairly simple in terms of my tactical approach, that I only do things one way and that’s all I’ve done and all my success has been as a one-trick pony."

Postecoglou added: "We overcame a really difficult opponent. We deserved to go through. There was no luck about it. Over two legs we were the stronger team.

"We did it in a real convincing manner and just the prospect of being in a semi-final means you're two games away from being in a European final. That is hugely incentivising so maybe that was the pivotal game, but we won’t know that."