Postecoglou hits back at Wenger over CL spot row

Arsene Wenger's suggestion that the winners of the Europa League should not qualify for the Champions League.

Former Arsenal manager Wenger, now Fifa's chief of global football development, has questioned why the winners of the Europa League qualify for next year's Champions League.

Postecoglou's Tottenham have a 3-1 lead going into Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg at Bodo/Glimt's Aspmyra Stadion.

But they are 16th in the Premier League table, while Manchester United - who have a 3-0 lead over Athletic Club in the other last-four tie - are a point ahead in 15th. The winners will face each other in Bilbao on 21 May.

The pair will not qualify for Europe through the league but Postecoglou does not understand Wenger's argument.

"It's a debate that's been raging for years, at least the last eight days…I've never heard it before," said the Australian in Norway. "Spurs does crazy things to people.

"You put that club into any sentence or any issue and invariably they all come out and try to diminish it as much as they can.

"It's Spurs mate, they love it.

"It's competition rules. Why wasn't it an issue before and is it an issue now? What's the difference? Last year fifth [in the Premier League] didn't get you into the Champions League, this year it does. What does that mean?"

Uefa amended its rules in 2014 to allow the Europa League winners to qualify for the following season's Champions League tournament, but Wenger disagreed with the policy.

Asked if this was "right", he told BeIN Sports: "No, they should qualify automatically for the Europa League again but not necessarily for the Champions League - especially when you're in the Premier League where already five teams qualify. I think it's something [for Uefa] to think about and to review.

"On the other hand, people will tell you that to keep the Europa League focused, interesting and motivated you need to give them that prize [of qualifying for the Champions League]."

Tottenham face Bodo in Norway without James Maddison, with Postecoglou confirming the England midfielder is out for the season with the knee injury he suffered in the first leg.

Striker Dominic Solanke has travelled and should be fit after being forced off in the 3-1 success with a quad problem.