Lazio Winger Cautions Tottenham Ahead of EL Semi-Final: Bodo Capable of Defeating Any Team Globally

Danish Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen has cautioned Tottenham against becoming complacent ahead of their Europa League semi-final showdown with Bodo/Glimt set for early May.

The Danish international, who played a pivotal role by assisting Lazio’s opening goal scored by Taty Castellanos, expressed disappointment after the home side was eliminated from the tournament, losing in a penalty shootout to Kjetil Knutsen’s Norwegian outsiders. He emphasised that Tottenham could face a significant challenge if they do not accord Bodo the respect they rightfully deserve after their remarkable progress in the competition.

“I truly believe that any team in the world can be beaten by Bodo/Glimt on their home turf. Now Bodo will take on Tottenham, and I’m confident that they will find it tough in Norway. Every team will face difficulties at Bodo,” he stated.

However, Bodo will head into the semi-final at a disadvantage, as key players Håkon Evjen and Patrick Berg—who missed a crucial penalty in the shootout—will be suspended for the first leg in London. Both players received yellow cards during the match in Rome, which resulted in their suspension.

According to UEFA regulations, yellow cards accumulated throughout the tournament are wiped clean after the quarter-finals, except for yellow cards received in the quarter-finals themselves, which lead to suspensions in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, the Norwegian squad was unaware of this rule.

“I was informed prior to that match that receiving a yellow card wouldn’t matter, but it clearly did,” said Berg following the match. “Nonetheless, it isn’t a major concern for us, as we have a strong squad with players ready to step in.” he told NRK.

Additionally, Andreas Helmersen, who came on as a substitute and scored the third goal, has also been handed a suspension after receiving a red card.

Bodo/Glimt will go head-to-head with Tottenham in the first leg of the semi-final in London on 1 May, with the return leg in Norway scheduled for 8 May.