Tottenham host Bodo/Glimt in the opening leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday at 8 pm (UK time).
Spurs began the league phase with an impressive performance, winning their first three matches; however, their form declined as injuries mounted. Victories in January against Hoffenheim and Elfsborg ensured a place in the top eight.
With a healthier squad, Ange Postecoglou is now focusing on European competition, and after successfully navigating the round of 16 and quarter-finals, anticipation is growing for the club to clinch their first European trophy since 1984.
Tottenham predicted line-up vs Bodo/Glimt
Tottenham (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Tel.
Tottenham delivered one of their finest performances of the season at a crucial moment, securing a 1-0 victory against 2022 champions Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany during the quarter-final second leg. Dominic Solanke’s penalty ensured a 2-1 aggregate win for the north London club.
Despite a challenging overall campaign, Tottenham has shown resilience in this competition, suffering only two defeats in twelve matches and boasting a remarkable nineteen-match unbeaten streak at home in Europe, which dates back to the 2019-20 Champions League. This impressive record should bolster their confidence as they prepare to face Bodø/Glimt.
Bodø/Glimt has emerged as a notable story in European football this season, making history by defeating Lazio in a dramatic quarter-final penalty shoot-out in Rome, thus becoming the first Norwegian team to reach the semi-finals of a senior UEFA men’s club competition.
However, they face a daunting challenge, as their previous encounters with English teams have ended in defeat; they lost twice to Arsenal in the 2022-23 Europa League and once to Manchester United earlier this season in the group stage.
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Tottenham team news vs Bodo/Glimt
The primary concern for Spurs ahead of their upcoming match revolves around captain Son Heung-min. The South Korean forward has been sidelined for four games due to a foot injury, missing the recent victory in Frankfurt that secured Tottenham’s place in the semi-finals.
Although manager Postecoglou indicated before the loss to Liverpool that Son was making progress and had returned to training, his comments post-match were less definitive, describing Son’s availability for the first leg against Bodo/Glimt as uncertain, while suggesting he might be fit for the return leg in Norway the following week.
Regarding the rest of the squad, Postecoglou confirmed that all players who participated in the last match came through unscathed, indicating that they should be ready for Thursday’s game, with the exception of injured Radu Dragusin and unregistered players Antonin Kinsky and Timo Werner, as the team awaits further updates on Son’s condition.
Light at the end for Spurs?
Following their 1-0 north London derby defeat by Arsenal earlier this season, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou said, “I always win things in my second year.”
Back then, Postecoglou added he “absolutely” thinks Spurs can challenge for silverware this season, with their last trophy the 2008 League Cup—the only competition they have won in the 21st century.
He won the Australian title with both South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar and the Japanese league with Yokohama F. Marinos—all in his second season or second full season in charge. Postecoglou also won the Asian Cup two years after becoming Australia boss—and the Scottish championship in both seasons with Celtic.
The 59-year-old did not see out two seasons in charge of the three clubs he failed to win anything at—smaller clubs Panachaiki and Whittlesea Zebras, and Melbourne Victory, whom he left after 18 months for the Australia job.
At one stage, Tottenham were competing in three competitions, but that soon unravelled in the space of a few days when Liverpool and Aston Villa eliminated them from League Cup and FA Cup contention.
Things looked perilous when AZ ran out 1-0 winners in their Europa League round of 16 first leg, but Spurs have gone three unbeaten since (winning two games), leaving them 180 minutes away from reaching a first major European final since losing the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool.
Winning the forthcoming Bilbao showpiece will go a long way to vindicating Postecoglou, as well as putting a big smile on the face of what has been a disappointing season in which they are guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table.