Bodo/Glimt vs Lille – News and Probable Lineups

With an opening to secure a victory in the league phase of the Champions League, Bodo/Glimt will host Lille at Aspmyra Stadion on Tuesday.

Having faced the possibility of a third loss in four European outings, Glimt is keen to turn their fortunes around, while Les Dogues are eager to earn their first points after securing a victory in their previous match.

Match overview

Kjetil Knutsen’s Bodo finds themselves in a gripping title chase at the top of Noruega’s Eliteserien and will hope that their recent win against Viking FK, 3-2, can motivate them to achieve success midweek.

Glimt took an impressive two-goal lead early in Friday’s top-of-the-table clash but were pegged back by Viking, who managed to equalize at 2-2 with under 40 minutes remaining.

Nonetheless, Knutsen’s squad quickly retook the lead through Jens Hauge and managed to secure a win over the reigning champions, drawing level on points in second place, despite both managers being sent off before halftime.

Fueled by the triumph in that heated encounter, Bodo currently occupies 28th position in the league-phase standings but will be aiming for a place within the Champions League’s top 24 by the end of the match week.

To ascend the rankings, Glimt must recover from their previous 4-3 defeat to Napoli in Europe, although they would be boosted by the knowledge that they’re facing one of the tournament’s struggling teams on their own ground.

On the other hand, Davide Ancelotti’s Lille has had a solid campaign overall, but it’s reasonable to say they have faltered in the past month.

Before clinching a 1-0 win against Lens on Friday, Les Dogues endured a four-match winless streak in all competitions, with two losses and two draws.

These losses occurred in the Champions League, where Ancelotti’s side fell 3-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and 4-2 to Galatasaray at home.

To complicate matters further, Lille is still searching for their first points in this year’s Champions League campaign, placing them 35th in the standings.

That said, the club’s struggle on the continental stage doesn’t overshadow the fact that Les Dogues are currently ranking second in Ligue 1, just behind Paris Saint-Germain, and shouldn’t be underestimated going into Tuesday’s fixture.

Team News

Bodo will miss the services of goalkeepers Julian Faye Lund and Isak Sjong due to injuries, but Nikita Haikin is expected to remain in goal.

Midfielder Hakon Evjen is also unavailable due to a knee injury, and August Mikkelsen is dealing with a groin issue, which might lead to Patrick Berg and Sondre Fet starting in central midfield, potentially partnering Ole Didrik Blomberg and Andreas Helmersen up front.

For Lille, they will be without the versatile Ethan Mbappe, who is serving the final match of his suspension following a red card received against Real Betis in the first round, while Hamza Igamane is out with a knee injury, and Ayase Ueda is working on recovery from a foot issue.

In their absence, the 40-year-old Olivier Giroud may take charge of the attack on Tuesday, with support from Dilane Bakwa, Hakon Haraldsson, and Soriba Diaoune.

Additionally, right-back Tiago Santos is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear and meniscus damage sustained against Le Havre on October 12, meaning 18-year-old Maxima Goffi looks set to make his start midweek.

Bodo/Glimt probable starting XI:

Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Auklend, Fet, Berg, Hauge; Blomberg, Helmersen

Lille probable starting XI:

Ozer; Goffi, Ngoy, Alexander, Perraud; Andrew, Bentaleb; Bakwa, Haraldsson, Diaoune; Giroud

Although Bodo has lost two of their three Champions League fixtures to date, the motivation from their win over Viking could inspire a commendable performance in midweek.

Conversely, Lille will be eager to secure their initial points in the competition, potentially resulting in a hard-fought draw against Glimt after overcoming their winless streak.