Bodo/Glimt Facing Major Setback Ahead of Europa League Semi-Final Against Tottenham Due to UEFA Suspension Rules
Bodo/Glimt may find themselves at a significant disadvantage as they prepare for their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg clash against Tottenham Hotspur, due to key suspensions enforced by UEFA’s disciplinary regulations.
The Norwegian champions have already made headlines in this season’s competition by pulling off a sensational upset in the quarter-finals. They eliminated Serie A giants and league phase winners Lazio in dramatic fashion, prevailing in a tense penalty shoot-out. In the first leg, played in the harsh conditions near the Arctic Circle, Bodo/Glimt stunned the Italians with a convincing 2-0 victory. Lazio, however, returned the favor in Rome by securing a 2-0 win of their own, pushing the tie into extra time.
During the additional 30 minutes, both sides found the back of the net — Boulaye Dia scored for Lazio while Andreas Helmersen responded for Bodo/Glimt — bringing the aggregate score to 3-3 and sending the contest to penalties. It was there that Bodo/Glimt held their nerve, with Lazio forward Valentin Castellanos missing a crucial spot-kick, allowing the Norwegians to reach their first-ever European semi-final.
Meanwhile, Tottenham secured their own semi-final berth with a composed and tactically disciplined performance in Germany, where they overcame Eintracht Frankfurt. Heading into the highly anticipated first leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, both sides faced uncertainty over player availability due to the accumulation of yellow cards and potential suspensions.
UEFA’s rules meant that up to ten players across both teams were at risk of missing out due to disciplinary action. However, after the dust settled, only three players are actually set to be absent — all of them from Bodo/Glimt. The trio includes captain Patrick Berg, Hakon Evjen, and Andreas Helmersen. Helmersen was sent off in the heated second-leg encounter against Lazio, while Berg and Evjen both received their third yellow cards of the tournament, triggering automatic one-match suspensions.
Tottenham, by contrast, have avoided any suspensions despite having several players walking a disciplinary tightrope. Yves Bissouma, Lucas Bergvall, and Dejan Kulusevski were all one caution away from a ban but managed to get through the previous round without being booked.
Bodo/Glimt also had four other players — Fredrik Bjorkan, Jostein Gundersen, Fredrik Sjovold, and Isak Matta — who were close to a suspension but successfully avoided further cautions. According to UEFA regulations, unless a player is sent off, they cannot be suspended for the remainder of the tournament based on accumulated yellow cards alone.
As clarified in Article 52.04 of UEFA’s competition handbook, “Exceptionally, all yellow cards and pending yellow-card suspensions expire on completion of the play-offs. They are not carried forward to the group stage. In addition, all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals.” This provision ensures that players enter the semi-final phase with a clean slate in terms of bookings, unless they were directly suspended due to red cards or card accumulation in the quarter-finals.
Tottenham’s Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero both received yellow cards in the second leg against Frankfurt. However, Romero’s was his first of the campaign, and Bentancur had already served a previous suspension earlier in the tournament. Therefore, neither player will face any disciplinary action going forward.
Looking ahead to the first leg of the semi-final in North London, the suspension situation will no longer be a concern for players previously on thin ice. As per UEFA’s clarification, even if a player picks up yellow cards in both legs of the semi-final, they will not be banned from appearing in the final — a rule aimed at allowing teams to field their best lineups on the biggest stage.
Still, the absence of three important players, including the team captain, puts Bodo/Glimt at a noticeable disadvantage. As they prepare to face a well-organized and largely full-strength Tottenham side, the challenge becomes even steeper. The Norwegian side may have surprised many on their way to the semi-finals, but they’ll need to dig even deeper now to continue their historic run.
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BREAKING NEWS: Bodo/Glimt stars suspended for Europa League clash as UEFA rules explained, Big Spurs advantage
