Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou believes his side has an “unbelievable opportunity” to turn around a disappointing campaign by winning the Europa League, as they gear up to face Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of the semi-final on Thursday.
Despite a dismal Premier League season that saw Spurs slump to a 5-1 defeat at Anfield last weekend—Liverpool’s title-clinching match—the Australian remains optimistic.
The result marked Tottenham’s 19th loss of the season, leaving them 16th in the table and set for their worst league finish since 1977. However, their Europa League run offers a glimmer of hope.
At a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Postecoglou emphasized the importance of focusing on the present challenge.
“I just think, irrespective of what kind of season you have, how often will you be in this position?” he said.
“History tells you not that often, irrespective of how strong you are as a club, even the strongest clubs in terms of Europe.
“So any thought of what’s going to happen next year or what’s happened this year, I just don’t think is really of any importance.”
Postecoglou also addressed what he sees as efforts to downplay Tottenham’s achievement of reaching the semi-finals.
“Irrespective of how this season’s gone, we have generations of fans who want this more than anything else, to share again with the people that they love, a special moment, supporting their football club,” he said.
“This season could have gone a lot differently, and we could be flying in the league, but it wouldn’t make this opportunity any different.
“The opportunity is the same. I’ve made that clear to the players.”
He dismissed the idea that club size would influence the outcome against Bodo/Glimt.
“You say we’re a big club, they’re a small club,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. We’re two clubs in the semi-final of a European competition, and they’ve earned the right to be there.
“They’ve done very well to get there, and we’re going to treat them with the respect they deserve.”
Midfielder James Maddison echoed Postecoglou’s sentiments, expressing the squad’s determination to make the most of their European journey.
“It hurts me a lot that we are having a poor season,” he said.
“This is why we are so motivated about this competition, because the season can still be very special.
“We want to reward them. We feel the support. It hurts, and we are trying to put it right.”
Postecoglou also confirmed that team captain Son Heung-min will miss Thursday’s match due to a foot injury. The South Korean star has been sidelined since April 10, when Spurs drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Tottenham’s last major trophy was the League Cup in 2008, and they are now chasing their first European title since 1984. The clash with Bodo/Glimt presents a vital opportunity to change the narrative of their season.
