Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Tottenham star dreaming of Champions League glory; ready for ‘tough’ Bodo/Glimt challenge

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Rohan Sengupta | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 11:34 AM ET

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall opens up on difference between playing in the Europa League and Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to secure their second win of the UEFA Champions League season when they face Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday evening.

Spurs defeated Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals last campaign, advancing to the final and beating Manchester United to win the competition in Bilbao in May. They have pleasant memories of the Aspmyra Stadion, winning 2-0 in the second leg of the Europa League semis on their way to Europa League glory.

Having defeated Villarreal 1-0 on the opening night of the Champions League campaign, Thomas Frank must be raring to see his side make it back-to-back wins in the competition. Considering the Lilywhites are facing a tricky end to the league phase of the elite European competition, getting all three points becomes even more significant in the Arctic circle.

Lucas Bergvall sheds light on the difference between playing in the Europa League and Champions League

Lucas Bergvall was a revelation for Tottenham in an otherwise disappointing 2024/25 campaign. The teenager quickly became a regular fixture in former boss Ange Postecoglou’s side, racking 45 appearances in all competitions in his debut season at White Hart Lane.

The midfielder played a key role in the club’s Europa League success, even though he could not feature against Manchester United in the final after damaging his ankle ligaments a couple of weeks before the showpiece event. After tasting European success in his very first season in England, Lucas Bergvall is now playing at the highest level in the Champions League. He made his “dream” Champions League debut against Villarreal earlier this month, highlighting the youngster’s meteoric rise in the game.

Bergvall accompanied his boss Thomas Frank in the pre-match press conference on Monday. When asked to explain the biggest difference between the Europa League and the Champions League, the Swede said:

“It’s big, the difference. It’s the best thing, for me, as a player that you can achieve – to win the Champions League. It’s going to be a good game tomorrow, a tough game, Bodo is a good team so we need to go out there and perform again.”

Bergvall expected to start vs Bodo/Glimt?

The last time Tottenham travelled to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt, Bergvall was not available due to injury. So, he’d be chomping at the bits to return to Scandinavia and showcase his talent at the biggest European competition.

The Swedish midfielder has thrived in an advanced role under Thomas Frank, understanding the demands of playing as a No.10 and delivering the goods. Whether he is deployed in a similar role on Tuesday night remains to be seen, but there are high chances of Bergvall starting in the artificial turf of Aspmyra Stadion.

Having grown up playing in plastic pitches, the youngster should not have much fuss adapting to the frosty conditions of Arctic Circle.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: