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A tiny ground in the Arctic Circle with a plastic pitch: Is this really a recipe for disaster for Spurs?

A tiny ground in the Arctic Circle with a plastic pitch: Is this really a recipe for disaster for Spurs?

New York Times07-05-2025

The circumstances for the Europa League semi-final first leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were unusual for both sides.
As a consequence of their club-record 19th Premier League defeat by Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur went into the tie sitting 16th in the table with just one league win in their last eight matches. Fulham and Middlesbrough — and indeed Manchester United, who look set to reach the showpiece game this year — have proven it's possible to reach the final of Europe's secondary competition while letting their league form slip, but their continental proficiency is at odds with a sustained domestic fragility.
Bodo/Glimt, whose league season began on March 30, are in uncharted territory as Norway's first-ever representative in a European semi-final. They were also without their star player Patrick Berg and four other typical starters for the first leg due to injuries and suspensions. Still, for a side more accustomed to playing in sub-zero temperatures, the weather conditions in north London represented the most substantial shift.
On the hottest first day of May in London since 1990, recorded temperatures reached as high as 29.3 degrees Celsius in the late afternoon. Back in Bodo, the conditions at kick-off time were around five degrees. For a fishing town just north of the Arctic Circle, anything above freezing is a welcome relief from the winter lows of -12.
Hours before Glimt kicked off against Lazio in their quarter-final first leg, the artificial pitch at the Aspmyra Stadion was buried in thick snow. Tractors and snowploughs helped clear the surface before Glimt convincingly beat Lazio 2-0 in strong winds, accruing an expected goals tally of 3.02 and creating six big goalscoring chances.
While Spurs head to Norway with a two-goal advantage, Glimt's mastery of the environment should bring some pause to any travelling fans who think this tie is settled.
'Yeah, we always back ourselves at home,' said Glimt defender Odin Bjortuft, speaking before the first leg. 'We have good confidence in our home pitch, but we also go with confidence to the away game. No matter what happens at Tottenham, we won't think the game is over until it's over.'
Glimt have refined their approach on the road since long-term head coach Kjetil Knutsen first took them into Europe in 2020, becoming a more pragmatic outfit — but they are a different animal entirely in their own patch. They have only lost twice at Aspmyra in the past 12 months, a 3-2 defeat by Rosenborg and a 2-1 defeat by Azerbaijani side Qarabag in November — a match they dominated, amassing an xG of 2.76 compared to Qarabag's 0.74.
In the knockout phase of the Europa League, they have scored 10 goals and conceded just twice at home, eliminating FC Twente, Olympiacos and Lazio en route to the semi-finals. They're more than just effective, Glimt play with a thrilling front-footed attacking verve that overwhelms opposition unfamiliar with their style and the conditions.
While the temperature is forecasted to be a milder six degrees on Thursday evening and will not play as much of a factor as it has done in previous rounds, the compact 8,270 capacity stadium and artificial turf could be potential tie-swingers.
'There's no doubt (the artificial turf) is an advantage for us,' says Bjortuft, 'But at the same time, it's what you're used to. We train on this pitch every day, the same with the team we meet, they train on grass pitches every day.
'They have an advantage on us, and we have an advantage on them. I think it's evened out. But of course, playing here at home is a big advantage for us because I don't think a lot of teams are prepared for what's coming. We have managed to do this in a successful way. The ball goes really fast here, and that's a key object for us.'
According to Bjortuft, the key difference on artificial turf is how quickly the ball moves along the ground. Lazio head coach Marco Baroni highlighted this in the previous round, describing the 'speed in their exchanges because of the artificial pitch' as a key component to Glimt's dominance in Norway. For a side that likes to play in their opponent's half and craft opportunities through slick combination passages, the pace of the pitch adds an effective zip to their attacking play.
'The ball goes really fast when you play passes and it's more difficult for defenders reaching attackers and getting contact with us,' says Bjortuft. 'That's what we benefit from in these games. Of course, it's a big difference between artificial and grass in many ways but the main key is that the ball goes so fast. It may be harder to turn and everything for players that are not used to it.'
The surface has the potential to throw up similar complications to when fifth-tier Tamworth took Tottenham to extra time in the FA Cup third round in January. On that occasion, Ange Postecoglou arranged for his players to train on the artificial turf at their training ground to help prepare.
Perhaps in response to their performance at the Lamb Ground, eventually progressing as 3-0 winners after their quality and fitness told in extra time, they will not make the same preparation for Glimt. The pitch at Aspmyra is a first-class surface, and due to the variability in plastic pitches, Postecoglou has planned to wait until they arrive in Norway to be exposed again to the artificial variety.
And if the potential for a giant killing unsettled a rotated Spurs side in Tamworth, the energy in Bodo for the biggest night in the club's history could overwhelm them entirely — though a more senior outfit dealt with the atmosphere capably against Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-final. Despite a lack of long-term European pedigree, Glimt fans were not surprised to see their side dominate Lazio at home and carry that confidence into the terraces that squeeze the pitch at Aspmyra on Thursday night.
'It's a smaller stadium than they are used to,' says Bjortuft. 'It's really compact. And it's a city that stays together. We are really comfortable playing here, as many home teams are.
'I think we have a good backing from the town, and they are really positive, even if it goes south. It's a good feeling for us to have them on our back.'
(Top photo: Michael Campanella – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

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Prosecutor calls Michael McLeod the architect of Hockey Canada sexual assault
Prosecutor calls Michael McLeod the architect of Hockey Canada sexual assault

New York Times

time4 hours ago

  • New York Times

Prosecutor calls Michael McLeod the architect of Hockey Canada sexual assault

LONDON, Ont. – The prosecution described Michael McLeod as the 'architect' of the 'group sexual activity' at the center of the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial and said he told 'outright lies' to portray the complainant as the aggressor in the sexual interactions of the night and advance a 'false narrative.' Advertisement Attorney Meaghan Cunningham provided Justice Maria Carroccia an outline of the Crown's argument, showing a power point in a closing submission on Wednesday that she said will demonstrate E.M. did not voluntarily agree to the charged sexual acts of the night. Cunningham began that presentation by telling Carroccia that she intended to prove E.M. did not want to engage in group sex and that McLeod repeatedly lied about his role as the orchestrator of the alleged incident. McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote are all charged with sexual assault after an alleged incident in June 2018 in which a 20-year-old woman — known as E.M., whose identity is protected by a publication ban — has said she was sexually assaulted over the span of several hours in a London, Ont., hotel room. The players were in town for a Hockey Canada event celebrating their 2018 World Junior Championship victory. McLeod is also facing a second charge for 'being a party to the offense' for what the Crown has asserted was his role 'assisting and encouraging his teammates to engage sexually' with E.M. All five players have pleaded not guilty. Cunningham highlighted that a key factual difference between the Crown and defense cases is what prompted McLeod's teammates to come to his hotel room after he and E.M. had consensual sex. She said that the factual issue will 'shape how the evidence is viewed.' The defense has asserted E.M. encouraged McLeod to invite his teammates in seeking what McLeod's attorney David Humphrey described as a 'wild night.' E.M. said that she did not know McLeod was inviting others and was 'surprised' when other men showed up in the room. Cunningham said there was no evidence to suggest that E.M. encouraged McLeod to invite teammates back to his room and laid out five elements to demonstrate why Carroccia should accept E.M.'s version of events – that she did not want group sex and was surprised by men entering the room. She pointed to 1) McLeod's 2018 police interview, 2) the June 20 text exchange between McLeod and E.M., 3) E.M.'s testimony, 4) the witness testimony of Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, and 5) McLeod's actions in 'recruiting' others to his room. Advertisement Cunningham said that McLeod was well prepared for his November 2018 interview with London Police, which took place under negotiated terms in Toronto with his attorney in the room, and yet did not make any mention of E.M. encouraging him to text his teammates. He also did not disclose the text messages he sent to a 19-person group chat and to Raddysh in the early-morning hours of June 19, 2018. He texted the group chat 'Who wants a 3 way quick' with a follow-up message providing his hotel room number. He also texted Raddysh separately to ask if he wanted a 'gummer,' which is slang for oral sex. Cunningham asked why McLeod would omit these messages in his interview with Detective Steve Newton and why, if it was true that E.M. was the initiator, he wouldn't disclose that in the interview, considering that would bolster his narrative. 'There is no logical or plausible reason why he wouldn't if it was a true fact,' Cunningham said. 'McLeod lies repeatedly to Detective Newton in that interview but it's the Crown's position that he's doing that in furtherance of a false narrative about what happened. The false narrative that Mr. McLeod is trying to craft is that he and his friends are completely innocent and that (E.M) was the instigator and the one demanding sexual activity.' In the interview, McLeod initially told Newton he didn't know why guys 'kept showing up in his room.' When asked directly whether he texted teammates, McLeod acknowledged he texted teammates he was ordering food and had a girl in his room. Cunningham said that if E.M. was the instigator of the group sexual activity, McLeod also would not have expressed the surprise and shock he conveyed to Newton in his interview about what he said was her sexually aggressive nature. 'It's not just that he forgot, it's not just that he didn't mention that he sent those texts. He outright lies to Detective Newton,' Cunningham said. 'He lies to Detective Newton repeatedly but in particular he lies to Detective Newton about the text message he sent or didn't send that night.' Advertisement Cunningham showed Carroccia the text exchange between McLeod and E.M. from June 20, 2018. In that exchange, in which McLeod asks E.M. if she went to the police, E.M. tells him she was OK going home with him but that she didn't expect others to come to the hotel room. She said she felt the players were making fun of and taking advantage of her. McLeod responded, Cunningham said, by re-framing what she said and responding that he was 'sorry that she was embarrassed' but warned about the serious 'implications' if the police matter moved forward. Cunningham said that if E.M. wasn't the instigator, as multiple players had testified, McLeod should have expressed surprise that she was upset about the other players joining them in the hotel room. Cunningham said E.M. was pressed repeatedly on the suggestion that she had prompted McLeod to invite others back to the hotel in pursuit of a 'wild night' but 'never wavered' in her testimony that she was surprised when players arrived in the room. 'Time and again she is pushed on this very same issue and her evidence is always the same, that she was surprised when other people started coming into the room and she does not think she would have ever asked for him to invite other people,' Cunningham said. Cunningham said that Raddysh and Katchouk both testified about E.M.'s behavior that was consistent with the Crown's assertion that E.M. was not seeking group sex. Both players said that they observed E.M. in bed, with the covers up to her shoulders and neck, and that she did not participate in any conversation beyond asking Katchouk for a bite of pizza. She said this was behavior consistent with someone who felt uncomfortable, not someone who was looking to engage others sexually. She said that if the defense theory was true that she was asking McLeod to ask his teammates to come over for group sex — and wanting to engage in group sex — Raddysh and Katchouk's testimony defies logic. Advertisement 'It would make no sense she would make absolutely no effort to engage or attempt to engage with Mr. Katchouk or Mr. Raddysh, not a single offer,' Cunningham said. Cunningham also pointed out that the testimony of both Raddysh and Katchouk differed significantly from other witnesses about E.M.'s behavior that night. Crown witnesses Tyler Steenbergen, Brett Howden and defense witness Carter Hart all testified that E.M. was the aggressor, asking players to have sex with her and insulting them when they declined. When Carroccia pointed out this divergence in stories, Cunningham replied: 'I agree these things are irreconcilable and someone's not telling the truth,' Cunningham said. She noted that Raddysh and Katchouk's description 'is completely at odds' with the testimony of the players who were on the June 26, 2018, group chat. In that group chat, players strategized how to handle the impending Hockey Canada investigation and discussed what to tell investigators. Cunningham said that they were the only two players who saw E.M. in Room 209 that night who were not on that June 26, 2018, group text chain. Cunningham pointed to McLeod's actions from the night to make the case that he was the instigator instead, and facilitated a group sexual encounter unbeknownst to E.M. Cunningham used a visual display of the '3 way quick' and 'gummer' text messages, sent at 2:10 and 2:15 a.m. respectively. She said McLeod made no efforts to vet who came to the room or took any efforts to get people to leave, but instead was 'trying to drum up more business' and 'recruit more people.' Cunningham cited McLeod's phone call to Hart, his recruitment of Katchouk from the hallway and his knocking on Raddysh's door as evidence of this. '(E.M.) was doing nothing either verbally or through her actions to communicate that she was at all interested in engaging in sexual activity with them,' Cunningham said. 'But the evidence does establish that someone was offering sex to Mr. McLeod's teammates in Room 209 and it wasn't (E.M.).' Advertisement Cunningham ended with the fact that by McLeod's own admissions, he said he was consistently checking in on her throughout the night, telling Detective Newton in his 2018 interview that he and his teammates had a 'no phones' policy and that at one point he 'calmed her down' because he said she was upset no one was having sex with her. Cunningham said McLeod was intervening to 'take some responsibility for managing the room' while all the events were unfolding. 'The reason he is doing that is because this was his idea to begin with,' Cunningham said. 'He set this up.' Earlier in the day, the defense teams finished their closing arguments. Julianna Greenspan, who represents Foote, said that her client performed the splits over E.M. as a 'party trick' that was both 'non-threatening,' not sexual and a 'momentary interaction.' Foote is accused of doing the splits over E.M. while she was lying on her back, grazing his genitals over her face. Greenspan said that E.M. was seeking sexual encounters and attention and that Hart's testimony that she was laughing was 'consistent with her performative behavior in the room generally.' 'In plain language, Mr. Hart's evidence was, this was in a playful manner, this was a playful trick, and (E.M.) was absolutely in on it,' Greenspan said. Greenspan spent significant time returning to the issue of E.M. referring to the players as 'men' throughout her testimony, painting the decision as intentional. Greenspan hammered this point repeatedly in cross-examination, but reinforced on Wednesday that E.M. had 'an axe to grind.' Greenspan undermined the credibility of Crown witnesses Brett Howden and Tyler Steenbergen, both of whom said Foote asked in a phone call to leave his name out of what happened in the hotel room prior to the players' participation in the Hockey Canada investigation. Advertisement Greenspan said Howden was in 'protect Howden mode' and suggested that Steenbergen was influenced by Henein Hutchison investigator Danielle Robitaille in his 2022 interview with Hockey Canada; she described that as 'an investigation intended to support and corroborate the complainant's civil lawsuit, one that Hockey Canada had just settled.' Greenspan ended her closing argument by suggesting that the intense level of publicity and interest in the case has compromised the presumption of innocence and subjected the players, their families and their legal teams to unfair treatment, such as bullying and taunting. Lisa Carnelos, attorney for Dubé, finished her closing submissions on Wednesday by arguing that her client did not engage in any collusion via the group chat he participated in with teammates on June 26, 2018 — 'This is the most lame attempt at collusion I've ever seen in my life,' she said — or in either of the phone calls he had with Tyler Steenbergen and Brett Howden. She explained the group chat as 'the banter of young men' who were 'confused' and 'expressing nervousness and shock.' Carnelos described the phone calls Dube had with both Howden and Steenbergen prior to the Hockey Canada investigation — asking them to leave his name out of interviews with Hockey Canada about the incident — as 'innocuous,' and 'context specific.' (Steenbergen testified that Dube asked him not to mention what Dube did in the room to investigators, adding that he wanted to speak for himself. Howden previously told investigators that Dube made the same request of him.) Carnelos suggested it was 'reasonable' that the call was about Dubé's desire to call Hockey Canada staff member Shawn Bullock to tell Bullock himself about what happened. Carnelos also suggested that the Hockey Canada and London Police reopened their investigations as a result of a 'media frenzy' and described the situation as a 'political hot potato.' — The Athletic's Dan Robson contributed reporting remotely from Toronto. (Courtroom sketch of Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham and Justice Maria Carroccia from earlier in the trial by Alexandra Newbould / The Canadian Press via AP)

Report – Manchester United Flop Tops The Inter Milan List Of Strikers To Sign This Summer
Report – Manchester United Flop Tops The Inter Milan List Of Strikers To Sign This Summer

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Report – Manchester United Flop Tops The Inter Milan List Of Strikers To Sign This Summer

Report – Manchester United Flop Tops The Inter Milan List Of Strikers To Sign This Summer Inter Milan have reportedly placed Man Utd flop Rasmus Hojlund at the top of their summer wishlist. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Dane has leapfrogged other names on Beppe Marotta's shopping list. Advertisement Man Utd had hoped Rasmus Hojlund would be their response to Erling Haaland's transfer to Manchester United. However, the 22-year-old has failed to live up to his staggering £64 million price tag at Old Trafford. Therefore, two years after leaving Atalanta, the robust striker could return to Serie A. Man Utd Castaway Rasmus Hojlund Jumps to Top of Inter Milan Striker Wishlist MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 13: Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Manchester United and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Old Trafford on March 13, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by) Low in the pecking order at the Theatre of Dreams, Hojlund could fancy a move to the San Siro. Indeed, it may be a perfect opportunity for the Denmark international to get his faltering career back on track. Ruben Amorim doesn't see Hojlund as a sustainable attacking option and would likely sanction his departure without flinching. As a result, chances of the ex-Sturm Graz star's return to Serie A are rapidly growing.

Chelsea player ratings as Palmer and Sancho star in Conference League final triumph over Real Betis
Chelsea player ratings as Palmer and Sancho star in Conference League final triumph over Real Betis

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time6 hours ago

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Chelsea player ratings as Palmer and Sancho star in Conference League final triumph over Real Betis

Chelsea completed an impressive 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the Conference League final to claim a first trophy of the Enzo Maresca era. The Blues were pretty dismal in the first half in Wroclaw and deservedly trailed 1-0 but were a side transformed after the break. Cole Palmer's creativity created goals for Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson before the impressive Jadon Sancho came off the bench to add a third and Moises Caicedo completed the victory with a fourth in injury time. Advertisement It means the Blues become the first team in history to have won every single major European trophy, as the Conference League crown was added to previous successes in the Champions League, Europa League and European Cup Winners' Cup. Having already secured Champions League qualification for next season by coming fourth in the Premier League, this win completes a pretty impressive first campaign for Maresca and a young squad may well be able to use this as a springboard moving forward. Here's how the Chelsea players rated as they completed the European trophy set with Conference League victory over Betis: Filip Jorgensen – 6 Couldn't do anything about Betis's goal and then made a good save during the Spanish side's dominant start to the match. Looked comfortable enough on the ball and wasn't hugely tested beyond those early moments. Advertisement Malo Gusto – 3 Constantly inverted into central midfield alongside Caicedo and Enzo, leaving Chelsea exposed with a three at the back, and the impressive Ezzalzouli subsequently made hay down Chelsea's right early on. That included scoring the opening after Gusto gave the ball away and he was subbed off at half-time for Reece James. A largely dismal day. Malo Gusto struggled in Wroclaw (AP) Trevoh Chalobah – 6 Part of the defence run ragged in the first half and caught out by Betis's lively forwards on a couple of occasions. Was tested less in the second half as Chelsea were largely on top and that was probably a good thing. Looked decent enough on the ball. Advertisement Benoit Badiashile – 4 Like Chalobah, gets pinged for being part of the defence that were given the runaround early on and then got himself booked on 55 minutes before being subbed off on the hour mark. Marc Cucurella – 7 On the left side of the three created by Gusto inverting into the midfield, he looked as uncomfortable as his defensive partners when Ezzalzouli, Isco and Antony were causing havoc. Showed ambition when playing the ball forward though, especially in the second half, and helped keep Antony quiet after the early issues. Enzo Fernandez –8 Wanted to drive Chelsea forward from a central role and although he was quiet in the first half, popped up with the vital equaliser as he drifted between two defenders and headed home Palmer's sumptuous cross. Finals are about moments and he produced a key one. Enzo Fernandez scored the vital equaliser for Chelsea (Getty) Moises Caicedo – 8 The be-masked midfielder has quietly had a good season for Chelsea and performed his traditional role of tidying up/doing the dirty work here. Gave away free-kicks in key positions on a couple of occasions in the first half but helped steady the ship after the break as the Blues began to thrive. Got himself on the scoresheet with a superb injury-time strike, starting the move, continuing his run forward and thumping home. Advertisement Pedro Neto – 4 Largely quiet although did fire a 35th-minute shot well over the bar. Showed flickers of life early in the second half but subbed off on 60 minutes with Jadon Sancho coming on as Maresca sought a spark and the Man United loanee completely outshone him. Needs more end product next season. Cole Palmer – 9 Easily the man of the match. More capable of a defining moment of quality than anyone else in the squad and produced it for the equaliser as he floated a stunning cross on to Enzo's head. Looked dangerous every time he touched the ball in the second half and brilliantly created the second goal as well, turning his man inside out before dinking another glorious cross for Jackson to force home. The creative heart who won the Blues this final before receiving a standing ovation when subbed off with a couple of minutes remaining. Cole Palmer inspired Chelsea's comeback (AP) Noni Madueke – 7 Keen to run at opposite number Sabaly whenever he got on the ball and won a couple of corners in the first half before showing more verve and spark after the break. The goals came from Palmer's creativity and Sancho's quality finish but Madueke also looked threatening. Advertisement Nicolas Jackson – 7 Led the press effectively enough early on but was starved of service in the first half and did little with what he did get. Livelier after the break as Chelsea improved and was in the right place at the right time to score the goal that put them 2-1 up, using his shoulder/chest to force Palmer's pinpoint cross home. Not pretty but he'd made the perfect run to be there. Then made a complete hash of a one on one, with the heaviest touch you will ever see to highlight the frustration Chelsea fans have with him. Hobbled off with 10 minutes left Substitutes Reece James for Gusto, 45 – 8 Answered the half-time SOS to replace the struggling Gusto and Chelsea immediately looked more fluent. He put a good cross into the box straight away, saw a shot deflected wide and generally seemed to spark his side into life. Reece James's introduction helped turn things round for Chelsea (PA) Jadon Sancho for Neto, 61 – 8 Brought on for Neto to try and make an impact and did exactly that. Constantly ran at the Betis defence and curled in a superb third goal after shifting it on to his right foot that sealed victory for Maresca's men. Assisted Caicedo for the cherry-on-top fourth for good measure. Advertisement Levi Colwill for Badiashile, 61 – 7 Chelsea's best passer in defence and brought on for the yellow-carded Badiashile as much for that attacking ability as for as his defensive prowess. Did exactly what was asked. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for Jackson, 80 – 7 Got the assist for Sancho's goal after he aggressively drove forward. Perhaps a bit lucky that his pass made it to Sancho but deserved that fortune because of the ambition of the run. Marc Guiu for Palmer, 87 – N/A Simply brought on to waste time and so that Palmer could receive a standing ovation from Chelsea fans. Not enough time to make an impact.

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