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Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Bodo/Glimt's artificial surface will give Ange Postecoglou cause for caution, writes MATT BARLOW as Tottenham gear up for their crucial Europa League semi-final second leg in Norway
The green rectangle of plastic grass glistened with no hint of the demons said to be lurking within and the Bodo/Glimt players fizzed passes about on a surface slick with Arctic drizzle. Around them, workers were busy adorning the Aspmyra Stadium with the final trimmings for its biggest night, fixing UEFA branding in the appropriate areas and running TV cables around the simple stands. Beyond that, the stillness of a Norwegian fishing town where day broke at 3am, the calls of the gulls, the rumble of a tractor spreading rubber crumb over an artificial training pitch and the occasional fighter jet tearing through the sky on a training exercise. Little else stirred in Bodo as Tottenham descended. The Champions League determined its two finalists amid the trembling passion of the San Siro and Parc des Princes. There will be 80,000 inside Old Trafford willing Manchester United to beat Athletic Bilbao. Here, the anticipation came with a little Scandinavian understatement. With yellow flags on display outside buildings, fluttering from lampposts, on display in the windows of shops and porches. 'It is a historic football match and we want the main role,' said Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen. His team trail 3-1 after the first leg but a late goal in London fuelled hope and they have faith in the Aspmyra with its League Two vibe and capacity of 8,000. 'We are at home, we have the town behind us,' Knutsen added. Midfielder Jens Petter Hauge, who joined AC Milan from Bodo in 2020 and won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt before returning to his hometown club last year, said: 'No matter where you go or who you meet, in the garage or the mall, everyone is looking forward to it and everyone says they've tried to get tickets and it's impossible.' Tottenham dominated last week and were worth their lead, despite disparaging post-match comments from Bodo right-back Fredrik Sjovold who claimed the Premier League team's attempts to press them into mistakes were 'ræva', meaning 'very bad' in its most polite translation, and that he had played against better in Norwegian football. Knutsen brushed it aside, putting it down to Sjovold's 'inexperience' and yet it has become a talking point in Norway, where there is a feeling that Ange Postecoglou's team were nothing special and are now without James Maddison, ruled out for three months with a knee injury he suffered in the first leg. Bodo, with key players including captain Patrick Berg back from suspension, believe they are not out of this tie, especially if they score first in the Aspmyra, where the home record is so formidable. In 10 home ties in this European campaign, which started in July in the Champions League qualifiers, the Norwegian champions have won nine, including victories against established clubs such as Lazio, Olympiacos, Twente, Besiktas and Red Star. Three years ago, they beat Roma 6-1 after knocking out Postecoglou's Celtic. The artificial pitch has been criticised, and Knutsen hit back, saying: 'We are a good football team first and foremost. Like most teams, we are better at home than away. The grass we have is what we play on. It's due to the climate. And the more you play on it the better you get. At home, over time, we have learned to trust in ourselves. It's a good pitch and good players can easily adapt.' The last time Tottenham played on an artificial pitch was in the FA Cup at Tamworth, when they needed extra-time to see off fifth-tier opposition, and Postecoglou opted against using artificial surfaces at the training ground before travelling to Norway, claiming there was little point because they were all different. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who didn't play at Tamworth, said it was probably five years since he played on one, but nobody appeared too perturbed as they trained in Bodo last night. The story behind Bodo/Glimt's name Bodo is the name of the town in northern Norway and Glimt means flash. When they were formed in 1916 they were simply known as Glimt but added the Bodo in the middle of the 20th Century because another team had the same nickname. Originally, they used a dash between the words but changed it to the unique forward slash because the dash led to confusion when the fixtures were printed on the pools. Since their rise to international prominence after winning their first Norwegian title in 2020, Bodo/Glimt has become one of the most recognisable names in European football. 'It's obviously different,' said Postecoglou. 'Whether it's the pitch, the atmosphere, the conditions, there's always challenges to overcome it, and we'll do that.' Spurs can take comfort from the victory at Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter final and the knowledge they are inching closer to a first major trophy since 2008, and a ticket to rejoin Europe's elite. And Postecoglou was undeterred by former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, now FIFA's chief of global football development, who claimed the Europa League winners should not go into the Champions League as they have for the last 10 years. 'Spurs does crazy things to people,' scoffed Postecoglou. 'Put that club into any sentence and invariably they all come out and try to diminish us as much as they can. Why wasn't it an issue before but it is now? 'Last year, fifth didn't get you into the Champions League and now it does. What does that mean? There are competition rules and it's not the first year. I've got great respect for Arsene, he's one of the legends of the game but Spurs does crazy things to people, I love it.'
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Bodo/Glimt relish 'biggest game ever' against Tottenham, with Arctic minnows still believing in giant killing ahead of Europa League second leg on plastic pitch
The green rectangle of plastic grass glistened with no hint of the demons said to be lurking within and the Bodo/Glimt players fizzed passes about on a surface slick with Arctic drizzle. Around them, workers were busy adorning the Aspmyra Stadium with the final trimmings for its biggest night, fixing UEFA branding in the appropriate areas and running TV cables around the simple stands. Beyond that, the stillness of a Norwegian fishing town where day broke at 3am. The calls of the gulls, the rumble of a tractor spreading rubber crumb over an artificial training pitch and the occasional fighter jet tearing through the sky on a training exercise. Little else stirred in Bodo as Tottenham descended. The Champions League determines its two finalists amid the trembling passion of the San Siro and Parc des Princes. There will be 80,000 inside Old Trafford willing Manchester United to complete victory over Athletic Bilbao. Here, the anticipation came with a little Scandinavian understatement but there was nobody pretending it didn't matter. Yellow flags, scarves and shirts were displayed in windows and porches as fans offered their team support. Spurs may be 3-1 up after the first leg but nobody here has given up hope. 'It's the biggest night and the biggest match I've experienced,' said Jens Petter Hauge, who left Bodo/Glimt for AC Milan in 2020 and won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt before returning last year to his hometown club. 'No matter where go or who you meet, in the garage or the mall, everyone is looking forward to it and everyone says they've tried to get tickets and it's impossible. That shows you how much it means.' Tottenham dominated the first leg until conceding a late goal and will be confidence despite the post-match comments of Bodo right-back Fredrik Sjovold who ridiculed the Premier League team's attempts to press them into mistakes. Sjovold, 21, claimed they had been 'ræva', meaning 'very bad' in its most polite translation, and that he had played against better in Norwegian football. Bodo boss Kjetil Knutsen tried to brush it aside, putting it down to 'inexperience' and yet it has become a talking point in Norway, where there is a feeling that Ange Postecoglou's team were nothing special. And that Bodo/Glimt can still rattle them if they score first in the Aspmyra, where the home record is impressive. In 10 home ties in this European campaign, which started in July in the Champions League qualifiers, the Norwegian champions have won nine, including victories against established clubs such as Lazio, Olympiacos, Twente, Besiktas and Red Star. Ange Postecoglou's men have a 3-1 lead heading into the return leg in Norway Over five years, they have lost only six of 37 home ties, beating Roma 6-1 after knocking out Postecoglou's Celtic. Their artificial pitch has been blamed and criticised but, on Wednesday, Knutsen said: 'We are a good football team first and foremost. Like most teams, we are better at home than away. 'The grass we have is what we play on. It's due to the climate. And the more you play on it the better you get. At home, over time, we have learned to trust in ourselves. It's a good pitch and good players can easily adapt. 'There's a lot of talk about things we can't do much about, but we will see a good Tottenham team and hopefully a strong Bodo/Glimt team.'
Scottish Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Europe's friendliest club hoping to use secret weapon to take down Tottenham after incredible rise
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THEY say people from Scandinavia are among the happiest - and it seems the same can be said for footballers too. For Tottenham face the friendliest club on the continent on Thursday in the Europa League semi-finals. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Bodo/Glimt have seen a number of players sold and then re-signed 4 Bodo/Glimt aren't paying attention to Tottenham's dismal Premier League season 4 Tottenham and Bodo/Glimt will face in the Europa League semi-finals 4 Bodo/Glimt have created a strong atmosphere that convinces players the grass is not greener elsewhere Bodo/Glimt's unlikely run to the last four has been powered by a number of players sold and then re-signed to the collegiate Norwegian outfit. Forward Jens Petter Hauge, for example, discovered the grass not to be greener elsewhere compared to Bodo's plastic pitch when he first left for AC Milan in 2020. He came back to his hometown club permanently earlier this year, following a stint at Eintracht Frankfurt, whom Spurs saw off in the quarter-finals. Those returning are content to do so because of the pally atmosphere at the small club from the Arctic circle. Sporting director Havard Sakariassen, 48, explained: 'We have some guys in our team, Patrick Berg, Frederik Andre Bjorkan, Jens Petter Hauge, Hakon Evjen, who have left us and tried the other side, going to European clubs. 'It has a value in itself, in your life, to be able to play at this level in your hometown, also with your friends. 'The culture in the club here is something they really enjoy. 'Of course, over the years, we have become competitive in Scandinavia regarding salaries and the business part of it. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'But I think it has to be rare to be able to play football with your mates at this level anywhere in Europe and that has a value.' Bodo/Glimt grabbed headlines by battering Jose Mourinho's Roma 6-1 in 2021. Ange Postecoglou says he will be around 'for a little bit longer' after Tottenham victory over Eintracht Frankfurt They then played Tottenham's North London rivals Arsenal a year later, also in the Europa League, but lost both group games without scoring a goal. They have developed considerably since then, against the odds given their relatively tiny resources compared to some of the clubs they have seen off in Europe. They have beaten FC Twente, Besiktas, Olympiacos and Lazio already this season. While they certainly will not be taken lightly by Spurs chief Ange Postecoglou, whose Celtic side lost twice to Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League three years ago. Sakariassen, who had two stints at the club as a player, added: 'For us every game is learning and we have played a lot of difficult games against good teams in Europe since we played Arsenal some years ago. 'We have cracked some codes regarding performance, especially away. Manager's impact 'To be more cynical, not to be naive going to play against good teams in Europe. 'It's maybe a better squad but also a better prepared Bodo/Glimt at this point.' Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen has been an integral part behind the club's rise, having been in charge since 2018. He has been linked to numerous posts, including Leeds and Brighton, in recent years. Sakariassen is relaxed about his manager's situation - while he reads nothing into Spurs' atrocious league form ahead of the first-leg showdown in N17. The supremo added: 'Of course Kjetil is an attractive coach, that's just the nature of what we do. 'We have all the tools' 'I know that he enjoys being in Bodo, he enjoys working at this club. 'Should he for some reason decide to do something else I think we should applaud him to the airport and say thank you. 'But I'm not afraid of that at all, and I think that we will work here for more years to come – but who knows. 'I don't think we look at Tottenham's league form at all. We know that we meet a good team, tremendous football players at a high, high level. 'But we also walk into this game with confidence that whoever we meet we believe we're able to compete. 'I truly believe we have all the tools to be brave enough to go out in London and just be Bodo/Glimt.'
The Irish Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Europe's friendliest club hoping to use secret weapon to take down Tottenham after incredible rise
THEY say people from Scandinavia are among the happiest - and it seems the same can be said for footballers too. For Tottenham face the friendliest club on the continent on Thursday in the Europa League semi-finals. 4 Bodo/Glimt have seen a number of players sold and then re-signed 4 Bodo/Glimt aren't paying attention to Tottenham's dismal Premier League season 4 Tottenham and Bodo/Glimt will face in the Europa League semi-finals 4 Bodo/Glimt have created a strong atmosphere that convinces players the grass is not greener elsewhere Forward Jens Petter Hauge, for example, discovered the grass not to be greener elsewhere compared to Bodo's plastic pitch when he first left for AC Milan in 2020. He came back to his hometown club permanently earlier this year, following a stint at Eintracht Frankfurt, whom Spurs saw off in the quarter-finals. Those returning are content to do so because of the pally atmosphere at the small club from the Arctic circle. Read More on Football Sporting director Havard Sakariassen, 48, explained: 'We have some guys in our team, Patrick Berg, Frederik Andre Bjorkan, Jens Petter Hauge, Hakon Evjen, who have left us and tried the other side, going to European clubs. 'It has a value in itself, in your life, to be able to play at this level in your hometown, also with your friends. 'The culture in the club here is something they really enjoy. 'Of course, over the years, we have become competitive in Scandinavia regarding salaries and the business part of it. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'But I think it has to be rare to be able to play football with your mates at this level anywhere in Europe and that has a value.' Bodo/Glimt grabbed headlines by battering Jose Mourinho's Roma 6-1 in 2021. Ange Postecoglou says he will be around 'for a little bit longer' after Tottenham victory over Eintracht Frankfurt They then played They have developed considerably since then, against the odds given their relatively tiny resources compared to some of the clubs they have seen off in Europe. They have beaten FC Twente, Besiktas, Olympiacos and Lazio already this season. While they certainly will not be taken lightly by Spurs chief Ange Postecoglou, whose Celtic side lost twice to Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League three years ago. Sakariassen, who had two stints at the club as a player, added: 'For us every game is learning and we have played a lot of difficult games against good teams in Europe since we played 'We have cracked some codes regarding performance, especially away. Manager's impact 'To be more cynical, not to be naive going to play against good teams in Europe. 'It's maybe a better squad but also a better prepared Bodo/Glimt at this point.' Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen has been an integral part behind the club's rise, having been in charge since 2018. He has been linked to numerous posts, including Leeds and Brighton, in recent years. Sakariassen is relaxed about his manager's situation - while he reads nothing into Spurs' atrocious league form ahead of the first-leg showdown in N17. The supremo added: 'Of course Kjetil is an attractive coach, that's just the nature of what we do. 'We have all the tools' 'I know that he enjoys being in Bodo, he enjoys working at this club. 'Should he for some reason decide to do something else I think we should applaud him to the airport and say thank you. 'But I'm not afraid of that at all, and I think that we will work here for more years to come – but who knows. 'I don't think we look at Tottenham's league form at all. We know that we meet a good team, tremendous football players at a high, high level. 'But we also walk into this game with confidence that whoever we meet we believe we're able to compete. 'I truly believe we have all the tools to be brave enough to go out in London and just be Bodo/Glimt.'
The Sun
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Europe's friendliest club hoping to use secret weapon to take down Tottenham after incredible rise
THEY say people from Scandinavia are among the happiest - and it seems the same can be said for footballers too. For Tottenham face the friendliest club on the continent on Thursday in the Europa League semi-finals. 4 4 4 Bodo/Glimt 's unlikely run to the last four has been powered by a number of players sold and then re-signed to the collegiate Norwegian outfit. Forward Jens Petter Hauge, for example, discovered the grass not to be greener elsewhere compared to Bodo's plastic pitch when he first left for AC Milan in 2020. He came back to his hometown club permanently earlier this year, following a stint at Eintracht Frankfurt, whom Spurs saw off in the quarter-finals. Those returning are content to do so because of the pally atmosphere at the small club from the Arctic circle. Sporting director Havard Sakariassen, 48, explained: 'We have some guys in our team, Patrick Berg, Frederik Andre Bjorkan, Jens Petter Hauge, Hakon Evjen, who have left us and tried the other side, going to European clubs. 'It has a value in itself, in your life, to be able to play at this level in your hometown, also with your friends. 'The culture in the club here is something they really enjoy. 'Of course, over the years, we have become competitive in Scandinavia regarding salaries and the business part of it. 'But I think it has to be rare to be able to play football with your mates at this level anywhere in Europe and that has a value.' Bodo/Glimt grabbed headlines by battering Jose Mourinho's Roma 6-1 in 2021. They then played Tottenham 's North London rivals Arsenal a year later, also in the Europa League, but lost both group games without scoring a goal. They have developed considerably since then, against the odds given their relatively tiny resources compared to some of the clubs they have seen off in Europe. They have beaten FC Twente, Besiktas, Olympiacos and Lazio already this season. While they certainly will not be taken lightly by Spurs chief Ange Postecoglou, whose Celtic side lost twice to Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League three years ago. Sakariassen, who had two stints at the club as a player, added: 'For us every game is learning and we have played a lot of difficult games against good teams in Europe since we played Arsenal some years ago. 'We have cracked some codes regarding performance, especially away. Manager's impact 'To be more cynical, not to be naive going to play against good teams in Europe. 'It's maybe a better squad but also a better prepared Bodo/Glimt at this point.' Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen has been an integral part behind the club's rise, having been in charge since 2018. He has been linked to numerous posts, including Leeds and Brighton, in recent years. Sakariassen is relaxed about his manager's situation - while he reads nothing into Spurs' atrocious league form ahead of the first-leg showdown in N17. The supremo added: 'Of course Kjetil is an attractive coach, that's just the nature of what we do. 'We have all the tools' 'I know that he enjoys being in Bodo, he enjoys working at this club. 'Should he for some reason decide to do something else I think we should applaud him to the airport and say thank you. 'But I'm not afraid of that at all, and I think that we will work here for more years to come – but who knows. 'I don't think we look at Tottenham's league form at all. We know that we meet a good team, tremendous football players at a high, high level. 'But we also walk into this game with confidence that whoever we meet we believe we're able to compete. 'I truly believe we have all the tools to be brave enough to go out in London and just be Bodo/Glimt.'
