Tottenham Hotspur return to Norway for a Champions League encounter against Bodø/Glimt, a fixture that carries echoes of their dramatic Europa League semi-final meeting last season. Manager Thomas Frank maintains this is a different situation, though the backdrop feels familiar.
Team news presents challenges for the visitors. Striker Dominic Solanke will undergo a minor medical procedure on his ankle, sidelining him for several more weeks. Defender Cristian Romero was left in London as a precaution, while Randal Kolo Muani is recovering from a minor knock.
Frank addressed recent comments from the Bodø goalkeeper, who expressed surprise at Tottenham’s focus on set-pieces. The manager was quick to defend his team’s approach, noting that a significant portion of goals across football originate from such situations. “Set pieces are extremely important,” Frank stated. “Why wouldn’t we use them?”
While Tottenham’s early-season form has leveled off, Frank sees positive signs in his new-look attack. “We have more or less a new front four and they are doing very well,” he said. “Maybe we are creating more chances, dominating a bit more. All the right signs are there.”
Much discussion has centered on Bodø’s artificial pitch, but Frank sought to downplay its significance. He compared it to his past experiences in Denmark, insisting the surface is manageable. He chose not to have his team train on it beforehand, citing tactical secrecy and the limited benefit of a short session.
“I’d rather praise the team, the Bodø team, and their coach,” Frank said, shifting focus away from the pitch. “They do it quite consistently, home and away, the way they play.”
The previous encounter in Norway was a tense affair, with Tottenham eventually securing a functional victory that proved crucial to their eventual European triumph. Now, in the Champions League group stage, the stakes and scrutiny are different, but the challenge in the Arctic Circle remains a significant one.
