Bodo/Glimt suffer quadruple player blow ahead of Tottenham semi-final clash

Bodo/Glimt have been dealt a series of blows ahead of their Europa League semi-final against Tottenham, with key suspensions and a fresh injury doubt weakening their squad before the first leg.

While Tottenham’s league performance is nothing to write home about, their Europa League showing has been rather encouraging.

Monday’s 2-1 defeat marked Spurs’ 18th loss of their Premier League campaign, but they’ve looked far more composed in Europe, losing just two of their 12 fixtures in the competition so far.

Up next for Ange Postecoglou’s side is Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, a team with a formidable home record, having never lost a knockout match at the Aspmyra Stadion.

Bodo/Glimt suffer injury and suspension blow before Tottenham clash

Postecoglou’s men know that three more wins would seal the Europa League crown, and ahead of the first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, they may have just been handed a timely boost.

Captain Patrick Berg is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards in the competition, and his midfield partner Hakon Evjen is also ruled out for the same reason.

Andreas Helmersen, who scored a crucial goal against Lazio, will miss out as well after being sent off in the previous round.

To make matters worse for head coach Kjetil Knutsen, Ole Blomberg is now an injury doubt for the Tottenham clash. The 23-year-old winger was forced off just 15 minutes into Bodo/Glimt’s 2-2 draw with Molde on Monday.

The extent of the injury is unclear, but he was seen leaving the stadium on crutches and wearing a protective boot.

Spurs handed scheduling headache despite Bodo absences

While these absences are a blow for the Norwegian side, they do have a slight edge in terms of scheduling, as Bodo/Glimt won’t be playing a domestic fixture during the week of the Europa League semi-final second leg, with their league game rescheduled.

The Lilywhites, in contrast, face a gruelling run. Tottenham take on Liverpool and West Ham between the two legs against Bodo/Glimt, before meeting Crystal Palace shortly after the semi-final concludes.

Squad depth and availability will be absolutely key. With no suspensions of their own, Spurs should have a near full-strength squad to call upon.

Whether that proves decisive remains to be seen, but both teams have their own advantages heading into the tie – it’s down to who makes them count.

• READ MORE: Tottenham could still lose two key starters to bigger clubs this summer

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