James Maddison wants to reward Tottenham’s long-suffering supporters by winning the club’s first trophy since 2008 and has said a dismal Premier League campaign has made the players more determined to succeed in theEuropa League.
Spurs host the Norwegian sideBodø/Glimtin the first leg of the semi-final on Thursday after suffering a record-equalling 19th league defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. Although Spurs have reached this stage of the Europa League for the first time since they won its predecessor, the Uefa Cup, in 1984, they have beaten only Southampton in the Premier League since the end of February and are on course for their lowest finish since its formation in 1992.
Maddison acknowledged that performances – including the5-1 hammering at Anfield on Sunday– had not been good enough but he believes Tottenham’s players have the hunger to make up for it by triumphing in Europe.
“It hurts me a lot that we’re having a poor season,” said the England midfielder. “But this is why we’re so motivated for this competition, because the season can still be so special. People talk all the time about Tottenham being without silverware for however many years, but we’re in the last four and we’ve got a great opportunity in a competition we’ve been pretty solid in this year. We want to reward them because we feel the support.”
Maddison added: “At the end of games and you’ve lost again, you go over and you want to thank them for the support and I know they don’t want to hear it from us. Even this press conference and the interview on Sunday, they’re not really that bothered because words are just words. But it hurts and we’re trying to put it right.
“That’s the main thing, that hunger is there. It doesn’t always work how you want it to, but this is a unique situation that we’re in, in the last four in Europe, when we can go and reward them for their support because they do travel everywhere. We are very grateful for that. Even in the league position we’re in and we’ve got nothing to play for, they’re still selling out Liverpool away.”
Tottenham will again be without Son Heung-min, although the captain has returned to light training after a foot injury and could be in contention for next week’s second leg. That will take place on an artificial surface at Bodø’s Aspmyra Stadion – located in the Arctic Circle and with a capacity of just over 8,000. The Norwegian champions overcame the league stage winners, Lazio, in the last round via a penalty shootout and have a strong record at home under Kjetil Knutsen, winning six of their seven European matches there this season. Postecoglou knows all about the likely threat they pose having lost both legs of a Conference League playoff with Celtic in 2021.
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“I don’t expect them to be overawed by the occasion, you know, sort of thinking: ‘Wow’,” said the Tottenham manager. “They’ve got a real capacity to be really strong in their mind about what they need to do and the away game is tricky because you’re playing on an artificial surface in difficult conditions. So I think there are still some real parallels there and, having experienced it, I know that they’re going to be a really tough opponent.”