Bodo/Glimt vs Inter Milan – News and Probable Lineups

Making their way north of the Arctic Circle, Inter de Milão aims to continue their pursuit of Champions League redemption with a visit to Bodo/Glimt on Wednesday.

This matchup takes place at Aspmyra Stadion for the first leg of their playoff, where the three-time winners Inter have reached the final on two occasions in the last three seasons, while Bodo will be making their debut in the knockout stage.

Match overview

Bodo/Glimt’s initial venture into the Champions League appeared destined to conclude in the group phase until the competition’s northernmost club orchestrated a dramatic turnaround.

Securing their progression, the Norwegian side remarkably bounced back from not winning any of their first six matches by taking down two major clubs.

Defying expectations, Bodo triumphed in their last two fixtures, defeating Manchester City 3-1 at home and Atletico Madrid 2-1 away, clinching the second-to-last qualifying spot in a tumultuous final matchday.

Having recently lost their title as Eliteserien champions, Kjetil Knutsen’s squad has been in winter slumber since that iconic evening in Madrid, so they should be well-rested for the arrival of Italy’s league leaders.

Taking over as head coach in 2018, Knutsen has guided his team to four domestic titles, along with unforgettable victories against Celtic, Roma, and Porto in past European campaigns.

Last year, they reached the Europa League semi-finals, getting knocked out by the eventual champions Tottenham Hotspur after overcoming Lazio, marking Bodo’s only success against Italian opponents in five two-legged confrontations.

One notable encounter occurred in the 1978-79 Cup Winners’ Cup, where Inter achieved a 7-1 aggregate victory, winning 5-0 at home and 2-1 in the away leg.

Inter’s previous visit to Norway resulted in a 2-2 draw against Rosenborg in September 2002; as they return on Wednesday, their primary goal will be to secure an advantage in the first leg.

The Nerazzurri reached the playoffs following a topsy-turvy league phase, marked by four consecutive victories in which they conceded only one goal, before suffering three losses in a row.

A 2-0 away victory against Borussia Dortmund on the final matchday wasn’t quite sufficient for a top-eight finish, leaving them with 10th place in the table with 15 points, thus they must navigate a longer path to this season’s last 16.

Having been runner-ups twice in the last three years, Inter excels in two-legged ties: excluding finals, they’ve enjoyed 10 wins and just one defeat from their last 15 knockout matches in Europe’s elite competition.

After narrowly missing out on Champions League success under Simone Inzaghi, his successor – Cristian Chivu, who won a treble in 2010 – will likely have ambitions of going all the way this season.

After surrendering the Serie A trophy to Napoli last season, just prior to their 5-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain, Inter now appear poised to reclaim the Scudetto: having secured six consecutive victories, they currently hold an eight-point lead over their nearest competitors AC Milan.

The latest – and certainly the most gratifying – of these victories came during Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, where old rivals Juventus were controversially reduced to 10 men before Inter claimed a 3-2 win with a last-minute goal from Piotr Zielinski.

This success marks just their latest accomplishment at San Siro, ending a streak of disappointments against top-tier teams, but Chivu’s squad has been noticeably more resilient on their travels.

On the road, they’ve compiled a streak of seven straight wins across all competitions, conceding only a single goal; nonetheless, the famed Aspmyra Stadion presents its own unique challenge.

Team News

Bodo/Glimt manager Knutsen used the same lineup against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, so he is expected to maintain that approach this midweek.

Experienced midfielder Ulrik Saltnes is the only player with a doubtful injury status, meaning the ever-present trio of Odin Bjortuft, Patrick Berg, and Fredrik Sjovold – all of whom have played every minute in the Champions League this season – are likely to start.

Former Milan player Jens Petter Hauge leads Bodo’s scoring charts with four goals and is the sole player to have created over 20 chances and completed at least 20 dribbles during the group phase.

Kasper Hogh had a significant impact in Glimt’s remarkable consecutive wins last month, netting three times in two matches, but Inter has one of the Champions League’s most prolific scorers this decade.

Also the Capocannoniere of Serie A last season, Lautaro Martinez has accumulated 25 goals in his Champions League career; he may be supported in attack on Wednesday by any one of Marcus Thuram, Ange Bonny, or Françasco Pio Esposito alongside ‘El Toro.’

Midfielders Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu returned from injury to face Juventus – and both players should be in the starting XI as they are suspended for this coming weekend – but wing-back Denzel Dumfries may not be ready to make his return yet.

On the left wing, set-piece expert Federico Dimarco has already accumulated 11 assists in Serie A, in addition to creating 11 chances in the Champions League.

Bodo/Glimt probable starting XI:

Haikin; Sjovold, Gundersen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge

Inter Milan probable starting XI:

Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Esposito

Facing freezing conditions and a challenging artificial pitch, Inter will face a stern examination in this first leg – especially given Bodo/Glimt’s propensity for slick football.

Nonetheless, Bodo is not invincible – both Mônaco and Juventus managed to secure victories there earlier this season – and they may find it difficult to withstand the relentless attacking style of the Nerazzurri.