Ange Postecoglou reacts as Tottenham attempt to reschedule Aston Villa clash

Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are reportedly at odds regarding the date of their scheduled fixture, and Ange Postecoglou has now commented on the controversy.

Tottenham face a big problem if they make it to the Europa League final, as the schedule does not give them much time to prepare for the showpiece event.

Spurs are scheduled to travel to Villa Park on May 18, just three days before the final will be played in San Mames at Bilbao.

According to reports, Tottenham are trying to get the fixture rescheduled, but Aston Villa have opposed the idea of moving the fixture.

Ange Postecoglou reacts to Tottenham’s schedule ahead of final

Spurs are understood to have suggested several alternative dates to the Premier League so that they have sufficient time to mentally and physically prepare for a potential showpiece event should they get there.

Postecoglou has now pointed out that other leagues do give their teams breaks ahead of big European clashes, but insisted that he will allow the authorities to make the final decision.

When asked about Tottenham’s attempts to get their clash against Villa rescheduled, the Australian told Football.London: “I haven’t looked too deeply into it, I don’t know what sort of precedence there is to it.

“I know other leagues do it, which you kind of understand for a European final. I’ll leave that to the powers that be and I’ll concentrate on trying to get us there first of all.”

Postecoglou will not be taking Bod/Glimt lightly

Before Spurs can start thinking about the final, they first have to overcome the competition’s surprise package, Bodo/Glimt in the semifinal.

Tottenham go into the tie as massive favourites, particularly given that Bodo/Glimt are without several key players for the first leg, but Postecoglou expects the Norwegian side to test the Lilywhites.

He added: “Bodo are there on merit. They beat Lazio, Olympiacos. They’re tough teams. I’m from the other side of the world. It doesn’t matter where you’re from. We’re going to treat them with the respect they deserve and give our best.

“Missing Patrick Berg is a loss for them but I think it’s always been more about what they do as a team rather than individuals. They’ve sold a lot of players over the past five years but they’ve kept doing well.”

• READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou reveals what he learned last time he played Bodo/Glimt