Europa League: Spurs Have One Foot on the Final Door

Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur

Ange Postecoglou previously said he tends to win silverware in his second year at the head coaching helm, and he is one step closer to making it come true this season. Despite their struggles in the Premier League, Tottenham are doing well in the Europa League because they’re on their way to the final.

​The Spurs grabbed a 3-1 lead in the first leg of their semi-final tie against Bodo/Glimt, so all they have to do is hold on to their advantage when they visit the Aspmyra Stadion this Thursday night. Before this, Tottenham are coming off a 1-1 draw against West Ham United last Sunday.

Bodo/Glimt bounced back from their first leg loss at North London with a 3-0 league win over KFUM to improve to fourth in the Eliteserien standings with 10 points.

Check out our second leg preview, courtesy of SBOTOP. 

 

Talking Points

Key returns for Bodo/Glimt

Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen is not ruling out a miracle at home this Thursday, especially since several key players are expected to return in the line-up. The returns of captain Patrick Berg and Hakon Evjen will bolster the team’s midfield depth, and Andreas Helmersen gives Knutsen another option in the final third. All of them missed the first leg through suspension.

Berg and Evjen will likely join Ulrik Saltnes in the starting line-up, relegating Jens Petter Hauge and Sondre Brunstad Fet to the bench. Meanwhile, their back four of Fredrik Sjovold, Villads Nielsen, Jostein Gundersen, and Fredrik Bjorkan is set to remain intact.

​Bodo/Glimt’s 3-0 win against KFUM last weekend reminded fans of how dangerous they are in the final third, and they need this iteration on Thursday. Kasper Hogh (brace) and Ulrik Saltnes scored three goals within the last 10 minutes of the match.

Hogh was not on the scoresheet in the first leg and is expected to make his presence felt in the second leg. The 24-year-old Danish international is level with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Olympiacos’ Ayoub El Kaabi at the top of the Europa League scoring charts with seven goals.

 

Tottenham have enough depth

Tottenham suffered a major injury blow, as James Maddison is ruled out for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign due to a knee injury he sustained in the first leg against Bodo/Glimt. The Englishman will join Radu Dragusin (knee) and Lucas Bergvall (ankle) on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, manager Ange Postecoglou hopes Dominic Solanke (thigh) and Heung-Min Son (foot) can be involved in the second leg. If not, then Richarlison and Brennan Johnson will take over in the front three alongside either Mathys Tel or Wilson Odobert, who scored against West Ham United.

Dejan Kulusevski will likely fill the creative void left by Maddison, and the Swedish international could link up with Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr in the middle of the park. Furthermore, Postecoglou will likely deploy the back four of Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, and Destiny Udogie.

 

History

Tottenham won 3-1 against Bodo/Glimt in the first leg last week. Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, and Dominic Solanke helped the Spurs jump out to a three-goal lead before Ulrik Saltnes scored a consolation goal in the 83rd minute. Tottenham have won all five European matches against Norwegian counterparts.

Bodo/Glimt have lost all four European matches against English opposition, including only one on their home soil against Arsenal in October 2022. Each of the other three defeats has seen them concede exactly three goals.

Since its rebrand in the 2009-10 campaign, the Europa League has seen 92 instances of a side winning the first leg of a knockout match at home by a 2+ goal margin. Only nine such teams have failed to progress in the overall tie.

 

Betting Tip

The Europa League 2025 odds expect a close match between Bodo/Glimt and Tottenham this Thursday. The Spurs have the slight edge at 2.34 odds to win, whereas Bodo/Glimt aren’t far behind at 2.53, and a draw is at 3.35 in the 1X2 market. Winning the match alone is not enough for the hosts since they need to outscore their visitors by three goals.

Football fans and bettors can expect new Europa League 2025 highlights from this fixture. Besides our recommended bet, Over 2.75 at 1.75, Over 3.00 at 1.99, Over 3.25 at 2.28, and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.67 are worth considering since defence feels optional in this tie. Moreover, a Correct Score of 3-1 in favour of Tottenham  – the result in the first leg – could give you a solid payday of 18.00 your bet.

   

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