Thu May 08 19:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Tottenham Hotspur Face Arctic Test in Bodo/Glimt Europa League Semi-Final

**Bodo, Norway** – Tottenham Hotspur are bracing for a challenging Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt in Norway. While the weather forecast is more favourable than the blizzard that greeted Lazio last month, the Arctic conditions and artificial pitch at Aspmyra Stadion still pose a significant threat to Spurs’ hopes of reaching the final.

Bodo/Glimt, known for their ability to overcome much larger opponents at home, have a history of causing upsets in freezing conditions. Previous victims include Jose Mourinho’s Roma and Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic, both of whom suffered heavy defeats at the stadium. The Norwegian side actively uses the harsh environment to their advantage, leveraging the wind, cold, and artificial surface to unsettle visiting teams.

While temperatures are expected to be around 5°C – relatively mild compared to previous encounters – the wind and the artificial pitch remain key factors. Tottenham players have admitted that the artificial surface makes the ball behave differently, affecting passing and defending. Although Spurs have experience playing on artificial pitches, their previous encounter against Tamworth in the FA Cup showed the difficulties involved.

Bodo/Glimt defender Jostein Gundersen highlighted their home advantage, stating, “We use the weather and the cold to our advantage. It is really difficult for the other teams to come here.” Teammate Odin Bjortuft added that the team has grown significantly since their previous encounter with Arsenal three years ago, asserting that they are a “much more adult team”.

Despite the challenges, Tottenham hold a 3-1 aggregate lead from the first leg. However, Bodo/Glimt’s reputation for exploiting home advantages and their impressive record against other European teams this season makes this semi-final far from a guaranteed victory for the Premier League side. The match is set for Thursday, and the outcome promises to be a fascinating test for Antonio Conte’s team.

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