It’s 17 years since Tottenham final claimed silverware however Rodrigo Bentancur is aware of the sensation properly. He reached double figures for trophies with Boca Juniors and Juventus. Now he hopes his expertise will assist Spurs over the road within the Europa League.
He has actually performed his half up to now. A cool head in midfield who brings tenacity in addition to composure, Bentancur has been key throughout their run to the final 4. They are going to want his knowhow once more in Thursday’s semi-final second leg towards Bodo/Glimt.
“We have now spoken about age and the variety of video games performed,” says the Uruguay worldwide, who, at 27, has already racked up greater than 400 senior appearances for membership and nation.
“Greater than something, I attempt to share my experiences with the youthful gamers. I’ve moments on the pitch the place I get offended, however I’m a really calm individual and participant and I attempt to benefit from the second.
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Ange Postecoglou talked up Tottenham’s ‘excellent’ efficiency within the first leg
“It is my first European semi-final, so it is my first time too, however I’ll attempt to get pleasure from it to the utmost and I’ll attempt to transmit the experiences I’ve had at different golf equipment to my youthful team-mates.
“Above all, I’ll inform them to get pleasure from it. These moments are distinctive they usually go in a short time, so attempt to do the perfect you possibly can. If you’re glad and targeted, issues will end up properly for you.”
It has not been straightforward for Spurs to take care of happiness and focus throughout a massively disappointing home season. However their Europa League marketing campaign has offered respite. Bentancur insists Ange Postecoglou and his gamers have shut out the exterior noise.
“The supervisor has a really calm persona, like me,” he says. “He tries to be very near us, to get his calmness throughout to the gamers and ensure we play the sport he desires, which I consider we now have performed and are doing very properly. So, go to their stadium and be aggressive with our urgent, particularly excessive up the pitch.
Rodrigo Bentancur reacts to a missed probability within the first leg
“It may be a brand new expertise, on a man-made pitch, however the supervisor is calm and we now have created a bubble, being united, glad and content material and approaching the sport in the very best manner.”
Spurs are in a robust place to advance to the ultimate after their 3-1 first-leg win in London however Bentancur is keen to emphasize that even profitable the competitors wouldn’t make them complacent concerning the want for main enchancment domestically.
“It is not been a superb season,” he says. “That is mirrored in our outcomes and within the desk. It is not what we needed. It wasn’t the target firstly of the season.” What does he put it all the way down to? “We have now had durations with numerous accidents when gamers have needed to play numerous video games consecutively with none alternate options obtainable,” he provides.
“These gamers did very properly, however that is one of many huge causes it has been a tough season. It would not really feel good as a result of it makes you suppose that, individually, you are not giving your finest degree for the group. However the conditions with accidents have influenced numerous issues.
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Ange Postecoglou provides his response when requested concerning the liklihood of getting a drink with Spurs followers in the event that they had been to win the Europa League
“Our aims have modified now. With the Europa League to play for, the supervisor has determined to make numerous adjustments for the Premier League video games.” There have been eight of them towards West Ham on Sunday, with Bentancur amongst these rested. “However we all know it hasn’t been a superb season,” he continues. “We’re very clear on that.
“We all know that, if we wish to be among the many high groups, we now have to attempt to compete in all competitions and be at our greatest in all of them.
“We additionally know that we’re going to have to alter issues subsequent season, however we can have time to consider that. Proper now, we’re very targeted on the sport on Thursday. You do not play many semi-finals in a soccer profession. We have now to provide our greatest to deliver happiness to the followers as a result of I consider they deserve it.”
Can Spurs do it with out Bergvall, Maddison?
Their process has been made tougher by season-ending accidents to Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison, whose absences depart Bentancur shouldering much more accountability. Not that he sees it that manner as he talks up the standard of their potential replacements in midfield.
“We have now gamers who can play the identical function as Lucas, like Bissou [Yves Bissouma] did when he performed alongside me within the first leg,” says Bentancur. “He had an distinctive recreation and he was unbelievable once more on the weekend as properly.
“Then Kulu [Dejan Kulusevski] has performed many instances within the function Maddison performs, and I’ve performed it at instances as properly.
“So, we now have gamers who can do it. In fact, it is a disgrace they’re lacking the sport since you do not play a European semi-final yearly. However we’re going to try to win it for them as a result of they’ve been doing their finest for the group all 12 months.
Rodrigo Bentancur celebrates after scoring towards Wolves earlier this season
“We really feel unhappy for them, however the group is doing properly, very targeted, very dedicated and actually trying ahead to Thursday. We’re taking it very critically and with the persona you want towards a aspect like Bodo, who’ve an incredible group and have proven that all through their Europa League marketing campaign.
“They confirmed it right here towards us as properly. They performed properly. We’re going to give them the respect they deserve however we’re going to go there to win the sport.”
Spurs ought to actually be out of sight already after a dominant first-leg exhibiting however Bodo/Glimt’s late aim on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has given them a lifeline they usually even have the benefit of their synthetic pitch. Kjetil Knutsen’s aspect have received all however one among their seven Europa League residence video games this season.
Spurs opted to not practice on their very own synthetic pitches at Hotspur Means in preparation for the sport, as an alternative planning to coach on the floor itself after arriving in Norway on Wednesday.
“It is a change, it is totally different, however this stuff come up in soccer,” says Bentancur. “It is not like we now have by no means performed on synthetic pitches earlier than. You lose the behavior a bit, however it’s regular.
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Freddy Toresen from the Avisa Nordland and Studio Glimt podcast says it is going to be a ‘completely totally different recreation’ when Spurs play Bodo/Glimt on their synthetic pitch
“They’ve performed very properly in Europe and of their home league. They’re superb at residence however they’ve proven it away from residence too. So, we cannot underestimate them. However we’re going to go there to play our recreation and produce our greatest efficiency.”
Will they permit themselves to ponder what may come subsequent, with a spot within the last at stake? “After we spoke about aims firstly of the season, one among them was to win this competitors, however I do not wish to get forward of ourselves,” says Bentancur.
“Thursday is our greatest recreation of the season. I consider we need to be within the last, us as a group and the followers, so we’re going to do every part we are able to to attain it.”
