Tottenham Hotspur beat Bodø/Glimt 3-1 to take the upper hand in the tie

In the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals, Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur (referred to as “Tottenham”) defeated Norwegian team Bodø/Glimt 3-1 at home. After the match, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou spoke to the media to discuss the result, the performance of the players and the plans for the next match.

Asked about the result, the manager said: “This 3-1 win puts us in a very good position. The players worked hard today and our defense and attack were well organized. We were also calm in attack and created a lot of chances to score”.

Although their opponents scored in the closing stages to give them some hope, the coach believes that if they can repeat this performance in the return leg, progress to the next stage will be a foregone conclusion. “If we can play at this level away from home, we have a good chance of going through,” he said.

Richarlison, Maddison and Solanke were replaced in quick succession during the game and the coach explained: “Richarlison was not injured. He was substituted for tactical reasons. He did well in the first half and did what we asked him to do. We needed to change the pace in the second half, so we brought on Telle to give him a try.

On Madison and Solanke, he said: “They both have minor problems. Madison’s knee is a bit uncomfortable and Solanke has a slight thigh muscle strain.
However, neither is serious and should not affect them for too long”.

It is worth mentioning that youngster Berival was injured during training, which could affect his performance for the whole season. The coach said: “We can’t say for sure if he will be out for the whole season. He just renewed his contract with the team and everyone had high expectations for him. But during a routine training match he injured his ankle. This is a microcosm of our season – there are always unexpected things happening.

Talking about the atmosphere of the game that night, the coach was very grateful for the support of the fans: “I thought our fans were really great tonight. From the moment the players came out of the dressing room, their cheers were full of energy. It was that atmosphere that helped us score early and gave the whole team more motivation to fight for the win.

He also mentioned, “Although we have faced many difficulties this season, whenever we play in Europe, the fans always give us a special feeling. Their support in the stadium is very important to us and can even be said to be one of the decisive factors.

Midfielder Bissouma was praised for his performance in the match. The coach said: “Bissouma and Bentancur played very well today. I chose Bissouma because I knew we needed to counter their possession-based style of play. He proved he was up to the task.

“Bissouma played almost perfectly today. He has had an up-and-down season, but I have always believed in his ability. In such an important game, he proved that he can step up and take responsibility. His performance deserves praise.

When asked about the penalty decision in the match, the coach replied: “The important thing is that we scored. As for the referee’s decision, that’s his job. We just have to concentrate on our own performance.

As for the fact that the second leg will be played on artificial turf, the coach said he was not worried: “I have experience of playing on artificial surfaces when I coached Celtic, the important thing is that we maintain the same discipline and tactical execution as today. As long as we do that, the surface won’t be a problem.

Tottenham had a chance to extend their lead to 4-0 in the closing stages of the game, but the manager remained calm: “We’ve been in similar situations before, like the game against Frankfurt, where we dominated the whole game but ended up with a 1-1 draw. But this performance has given us confidence that we can win away from home.

He said: “Although the scoreline does not fully reflect our overall dominance, 3-1 is a very good result and we just need to repeat today’s performance in the return leg on Thursday.”

Finally, a reporter asked if conceding a late goal would affect the team’s confidence. The coach replied: “It’s not a question of composure. We have shown a lot of composure in European competition this season, whether it was the comeback against Alkmaar or the away win in Frankfurt, it shows we have the ability to get the job done”.

In summary, Tottenham secured a crucial win in the first leg, with the players in good form and the team working well together. Although there are still some injury concerns, the overall situation looks positive. As long as they can maintain this level of performance in the return leg, they should be able to reach the final of the Europa League.