Tottenham stunned by wild underdog run as historic showdown looms | OneFootball

Tottenham and Bodo/Glimt meet this Thursday in London for the first leg of the Europa League semifinal. The English side comes as a favorite, having no defeats at home in 19 European matches and a superior record against Norwegian teams. Meanwhile, Bodo is the biggest surprise this season, the first Norwegian squad to reach this stage in a continental tournament. It's a conflict that mixes tradition, pressure, and a special chance to make history.

The weight of the undefeated run in London

Tottenham goes into the semifinal on a hot home streak. They have not lost at home in European competition since falling to RB Leipzig in February 2020. They are unbeaten in 19 games, winning 15 and drawing 4. That is English clubs' longest such run this season in UEFA competition.

Additionally, the team finished fourth in the group phase, where they won five matches, drew two, and lost only one. In the knockout stage, they eliminated AZ Alkmaar in the round of 16 on aggregate 4-2. They beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 in the quarterfinals in a tight match. The English club approaches this semifinal with regularity and relies on the European competition, especially after the failure of its Premier League season, where it occupies the 16th position.

Bodo/Glimt and its surprise qualification

Bodo/Glimt became the first Norwegian club to reach a continental semifinal. The path to this round was marked by difficult encounters. The team finished the group stage in ninth place overall and had to go through the playoffs. They eliminated Twente 6-4 on aggregate, beat Olympiacos 4-2 in the round of 16, and eliminated Lazio on penalties in the quarterfinals after a draw in regular time. It's a run that has already found its place in the country's soccer history, and it could yet have a few more pages to write. Bodo's semifinal appearance is historic.

No country had made it to the semifinals of UEFA competition for the first time since 1998/99, when Dynamo Kyiv carried Ukraine to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. The Norwegian club's achievement reopens Scandinavian representation in UEFA competitions. Regardless of what occurs in London, Bodo has already written its name alongside the greatest tales of this season.

Head-to-head and historical statistics

Tottenham and Bodo have never officially met. However, the English club's record against Norwegian clubs is perfect. Four matches and four wins: two against Lyn in the 1972/73 UEFA Cup, and two against Tromso in the 2013/14 Europa League. Bodo, in turn, played against English clubs three times and lost every one of them. In 2022/23, twice to Arsenal. In this edition, they lost 3-2 to Manchester United in the group stage.

This will be Tottenham's ninth European semifinal. The last one was in the 2018/19 Champions League, in front of Ajax. At the time, the English team lost the first duel 1-0 but still managed to turn it around in the second leg and advance to the final. In the last two semifinals, they also lost the first game but found the strength to turn the tables.