Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
On Thursday, May 1, the first leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-final will take place as Tottenham hosts Bodo/Glimt on their home turf. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time. We recommend paying attention to the goals market for this clash.
Tottenham – Bodo/Glimt: match facts and head-to-head
- Tottenham have lost their last two matches and have just one win in their previous five games.
- Bodo/Glimt have suffered only one defeat in their last five matches and are unbeaten in three consecutive fixtures.
- Tottenham have scored at least once in six matches in a row.
- Bodo/Glimt have found the net in three straight games.
- The Norwegian side keep a clean sheet in 31% of their matches, while Spurs do so in 23%.
- Bodo/Glimt have failed to score in just 4% of their matches this season.
- These two teams have never faced each other before.
- Bodo/Glimt are the first Norwegian club to reach a European semi-final.
Tottenham – Bodo/Glimt: match preview
Tottenham's Premier League campaign hasn't gone to plan, but in the Europa League, they've shown real grit. They collected 17 points from eight group stage matches, finishing only two points behind the leaders. In the round of 16, Spurs, who advanced directly, edged past AZ Alkmaar 3-2 on aggregate. The quarter-finals saw them take on Eintracht. After a draw in London, Tottenham clinched a narrow 1-0 away victory. Now, they're in the semi-finals, essentially fighting to salvage their season—the Europa League remains their only shot at silverware, and the draw has been relatively kind to them.
Bodo/Glimt have had a phenomenal run to the semi-finals, but let's not forget they're a Norwegian side, and the squad depth can't quite match their English counterparts. They finished ninth in the group stage and had to start the playoffs from the preliminary round, where they overcame Twente 6-4 on aggregate. Next up in the playoffs were Olympiacos, whom the Norwegians dispatched 4-2 over two legs. In the quarter-finals, Bodo/Glimt faced Lazio and pulled off a shock. First, a 2-0 win at home, then triumphing on penalties in Rome. Bodo/Glimt are the first Norwegian team to ever reach a European semi-final—a historic milestone for the club.
Probable line-ups
- Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur, Maddison; Kulusevski, Solanke, Tel
- Bodo/Glimt: Haikin; Sjøvold, Nilsen, Gundersen, Bjørk; Fet, Auklend, Saltnes; Blomberg, Hauge, Høeg
Prediction
Tottenham are clear favourites at home and are generally tipped to progress to the final. But Bodo/Glimt won't just roll over, and this won't be a walk in the park for Spurs. Given Tottenham's habit of conceding, a bet on both teams to score at odds of 1.8 looks like a smart play.
