Ange Postecoglou’s dreams of winning a trophy with Tottenham are alive after a Spurs masterclass put in the Europa League final. Tottenham defeated Bodø/Glimt 2-0 in the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday, May 8, 2025 (AEST), securing a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory across the two legs.
In cold conditions in Norway, Spurs entered the clash with a 3-1 advantage from the first leg. The score was 0-0 at halftime, but Tottenham exploded in a six-minute second-half blitz to claim the win. The breakthrough came in the 63rd minute when Dominic Solanke toed in a Cristian Romero header from a lofted corner kick. Just a few minutes later, Pedro Porro scored a sensational long-range goal from a tight angle on the right-hand side of the box, which sailed past the Bodø/Glimt goalkeeper and clattered in off the upright.
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Prince Sverre Magnus were in the stands, but they didn’t have much to cheer about as Bodø/Glimt came away scoreless. In heartwarming post-match scenes, Postecoglou gave his players massive hugs as the team celebrated with travelling Tottenham fans. “You can see what it means for Ange,” Craig Foster said on Stan Sport. “This season has been absolutely horrible. He’s had to manage through the most intense pressure. It has been a furnace.”
Foster further emphasized the significance of the moment, stating, “This is a big morning. For Australian coaching, this is absolutely immense. Ange has broken a lot of barriers in his career, and he’s broken another one here. First Australian coach in a major European final. That’s big.”
Tottenham will face Manchester United in an all-English Europa League final after the Red Devils defeated Athletic Club Bilbao 4-1 to win their semi-final 7-1 on aggregate. Tottenham and Manchester United have both endured nightmare Premier League seasons, but victory in a European final would help put memories of their domestic campaigns behind them. The final will take place in Bilbao, Spain, on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Spurs fans are desperate to see the club lift some silverware; the 2008 League Cup remains the last trophy won by Tottenham. Postecoglou has been increasingly prickly in his press conferences but now has a chance to prove his critics wrong after claiming earlier this season that he always wins a trophy in his second year in charge of a team.
Despite Tottenham’s Premier League campaign being a disaster, as they currently sit 16th on the table, victory in the Europa League would go a long way to helping Postecoglou keep his job amid mounting pressure. The winner of the Europa League will also secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Postecoglou bristled in his post-match press conference when asked about Manchester United’s view that Europa League glory won’t save their season. He responded, “Why would I care what Man United think? Why is that relevant to me? Me, I’ve said all along that this is important.”
He added, “What’s happening now is people are fearing that Tottenham winning might actually happen, so let’s see how we can tear it down somehow and diminish it and say it’s been a poor season, or we don’t deserve this or that or somehow comparing us to Manchester United.”
Tottenham’s path to the final was not without challenges. In the first leg against Bodø/Glimt, they had to weather a storm, literally, as the second leg was played in gale-force winds at the 8,270-capacity Aspmyra Stadium. Despite the conditions, Tottenham kept their composure, delivering a committed display to retain their chance of salvaging their wretched season.
In the early moments of the match, Porro went close with a 25-yard free-kick that was superbly tipped over by Bodø/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin. At the other end, Patrick Berg’s swirling free-kick forced Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to claw it away at full stretch.
In contrast to their usual ultra-attacking tactics, Tottenham were content to sit back and hit on the counter, often slowing the game down so much that Vicario was booked for time-wasting. The plan worked a treat as Bodø/Glimt struggled to establish any momentum before Solanke scored the opening goal.
With the win, Tottenham has now beaten Manchester United three times this season, winning 3-0 and 1-0 in the Premier League and 4-3 in the League Cup. They are aiming to win their first European trophy since the 1984 UEFA Cup and their first silverware in any competition since the League Cup in 2008.
Tottenham’s last four finals have all ended in defeat, most notably the 2019 Champions League showpiece against Liverpool, while they were also beaten in the 2009, 2015, and 2021 League Cup finals. Ending that dismal streak would fulfill Postecoglou’s bold boast earlier this season that he always wins a trophy in his second season.
As the Europa League final approaches, all eyes will be on Postecoglou and his squad as they aim to make history and bring home the much-coveted trophy. With the pressure mounting and the stakes higher than ever, Tottenham has a chance to rewrite their recent narrative and emerge victorious on the European stage.
