Guglielmo Vicario gives six-word response to question about his recent Tottenham performances

Guglielmo Vicario had plenty to say at his press conference in Bodo on Wednesday evening ahead of Tottenham's Europa League semi-final second leg in Norway.

will go into Thursday's match with a 3-1 lead against a Bodo side who have been strong at home at the Aspmyra Stadion this season in European competition. 's side will be without and Lucas Bergvall after their knee and ankle injuries respectively, while captain also misses out.

Vicario also gave his views on ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's comments at Spurs and Manchester United do not deserve to be in the Champions League next season if either were to win the Europa League.

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Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to the goalkeeper. Here's the full transcript from his press conference at the Aspmyra Stadion.

A lot's been made ahead of this game about the pitch that they have, the artificial surface, as a goalkeeper, what's the difference when it comes to playing an artificial pitch?

I don't know, we're going to try tonight, to be fair, so not impressed (bothered) about that. We knew before coming here that the surface would have been different to normal pitches, so nothing changed for us. We just adapt quickly tonight and we will be ready for tomorrow.

You've lost a lot of the leadership group in recent weeks with the injuries, is there more pressure on you and Cristian Romero to step up and lead the team?

It's the kind of thing that we've always to deal with, to be fair. We will not have Sonny and Madders for tomorrow. So yeah, it's on us but it's on everyone. The importance of the entire squad tomorrow will be crucial and we will need the contribution from everyone who's going to start and who's going to come in and from the guys on the bench. I think the Spurs family will play a crucial role in the game tomorrow.

What lessons have you guys learned from your big second leg performances, particularly at AZ Alkmaar and then at Frankfurt this season?

To be fair, every game is different, so we will have to be very tuned in tomorrow, because we know we're going to face a tough opponent. They proved at our place and especially the record that they have here playing in their home ground. It's highly rated, so we have to be very focused, everyone, and ready for this battle.

How much is tomorrow night about mental toughness, about resilience, about team spirit, because everybody we've spoken to around Bodo today, this means so much to them and so much to the whole place?

I think the point is to be really as we have been in AZ and in Frankfurt to show that team performance, to stay very connected, very close to each other, like you always have to do in a European away games, especially tomorrow in a semi-final, so yeah, nothing changed on that perspective, to be fair. We faced already so many big teams away in Europe, so I can say we are ready for that.

You said in your first answer when asked about the pitch that you're not impressed by that, do you mean that you don't think a semi-final European competition should be on an artificial pitch?

Well, to be fair, it's not my decision. If they can play on this surface, on an artificial pitch in a semi-final, it's fine. So we're going to adapt. Many teams have played here, so it's not an excuse to come here to say 'oh, the pitch is artificial' because many teams during this season and over the last years have played here, so nothing has to worry us about the surface.

Tottenham have given away quite a lot of leads this season, I wonder what your mindset is going into this match. Is it to hold on to what you have or do you try and win the game again?

No, I think we just need to stick to our principles and to how we have approached games over the last two seasons and try to play our game. It's important to focus on which are our strengths, our beliefs, and try to win this game of football. Of course, try to score goals, I think that will play a big part of the game tomorrow.. We cannot just wait and sit back and hope they make any mistakes, but I think it would be a game that we have to play in a smart way, but we still have to attack and to play our way.

There's been a lot of speculation about the manager before these second legs with Frankfurt and AZ and the team's handled those occasions as well, how much belief is that giving you that you can go all the way and win this competition?

Yeah, I think we always back him, since two years ago when he started his job, and we are really committed on what we have to do.: We know exactly which is our way of football and we always believed in, what Ange gave us during this period. Nothing's changed, to be fair, of course, we went through two rounds, hopefully we're going to do it again tomorrow.

A lot of players I've been talking to say that playing on artificial grass is almost like a different sport compared to the natural grass, can you just elaborate on your experience of playing on the surface before?

I don't have a lot of experience to be fair. I've played, I think the last time five years ago on an artificial pitch but I cannot change this, so it's just how quickly you adapt. As fast as you adapt, the easier it will be tomorrow. So it's just the kind of mindset too. We knew before coming here that the surface would be artificial so we cannot change the condition of the pitch just for tomorrow night.

It looked like you had some difficult games in the league against Wolves and Nottingham Forest, so I wondered what have you made of your own form recently and do you feel full of confidence at the moment?

Yeah. I'm full of confidence. Yes.

How do you reflect on the goal that the team conceded at the end of the first leg, because the Bodo players seem to be using that as leverage that they've been given a lifeline effectively?

No, I think every time we concede we are not happy to do that. Of course we wanted to keep the clean sheet and the 3-0, but we didn't. So we are just to accept this and it's a signal for tomorrow night as well to put more effort, more attention on which are the threats up front. But, yeah, of course, , I think the first half has been played. Tomorrow we have to play the second half, so it's a double game competition. It's not a World Cup or a Euros that the semi-final is just one game, so we knew before and tomorrow we just have to play again a high tempo, high intensity like we did in the first leg and then at the end we will see.

Losing Maddison and Bergvall has been a real blow to the squad, but is it kind of a sign of what's happened this season and do you still have a real belief in the quality of the Spurs squad to get through tomorrow night?

Yeah, I think the squad has a big quality irrespective of who's going to play. Of course Lucas and Madders are two important players for us, but everyone has had to deal with setbacks this season and. this time, unfortunately it is their time, so we're going to miss them, but I'm sure tomorrow night everyone also has in the back of their mind this belief and this desire to battle and to fight for them.

There's been a lot of attention after one of the Bodo players saying after the first leg that the way Spurs pressed was bad and not too difficult to play through, are you and the others aware of that and taking any kind of offence to it?

No, I think I don't want to get drawn and comment on what other people say. He said this and it's fine to be fair. We're going to prove tomorrow night, we're going to let our football speak tomorrow on the pitch.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said the award for winning the Europa League being a place in the Champions League, is far too great, what is your response to that?

Everyone can have his thoughts about everything in life, so to be fair, I don't agree, but it doesn't matter. These are the rules and we want to go to the final.