Norway’s Bodo/Glimt’s fairytale run within the continued as they knocked out final yr’s finalists in one of many event’s greatest ever shocks.
A season on from turning into the primary Norwegian facet to achieve the semi-finals of a European competitors, following their spectacular run within the Europa League, head coach Kjetil Knutsen’s minnows have continued their exceptional rise by qualifying for the Champions League last-16, and as event debutants. Bodo/Glimt additionally function on a funds that could be a fraction of the dimensions of Europe’s greatest golf equipment.
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Bodo/Glimt, who had been in Norway’s second-tier as just lately as 2017, are the northernmost staff to ever play within the Champions League. Primarily based within the small city of Bodo, a 16-hour drive north of Oslo and inside the sting of the Arctic Circle, its entire inhabitants of 55,000 might have travelled to Inter’s iconic San Siro and there nonetheless would have been loads of empty seats.
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Remarkably, Knutsen’s staff are additionally of their low season; the Norwegian top-flight ended on 30 November 2025 as a result of winter and can solely resume when spring arrives in April. However, in that point, Bodo/Glimt have crushed Manchester Metropolis, Atletico Madrid and knocked out Italian giants Inter, the runaway Serie A leaders, by beating them dwelling and away
Bodo/Glimt took a two-goal result in the San Siro after a surprising 3-1 victory in Norway, the place they’ve developed an impressive file on the unreal floor at their 9,000-capacity Aspmyra Stadion. Then, on Tuesday night time, they survived lengthy spells of stress earlier than Jens Petter Hauge punished Manuel Akanji’s error to silence the San Siro.
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As Bodo/Glimt began to play with confidence, Hakon Evjen added a wonderful second on the counter-attack, leaving Inter with a mountain to climb at the same time as Alessandro Bastoni pulled one again. A 5-2 victory on mixture is not going to solely sign a disaster at Inter, the three-time European champions, and in Italian soccer as an entire, however it’s going to additionally ship shockwaves round European soccer.
In Norway, they’ll have a good time a primary Norwegian facet to win a knockout tie within the Champions League since 1987-88. Whereas Bodo/Glimt are additionally the primary staff exterior of Europe’s large 5 leagues to win 4 consecutive video games towards groups from England, Spain, Italy and France since Johan Cruff’s Ajax in 1971-72. They went on to win the European Cup that season, too.
These items isn’t suppose to occur in Europe lately.
Belief the method
Bodo/Glimt’s close-knit, team-first atmosphere is usually hailed as the important thing ingredient behind their exceptional journey. Head coach Knutsen, who has been in cost since 2018 has been linked with a number of main jobs and larger leagues through the membership’s rise, however has turned down provides to stay with Bodo/Glimt, the place he just lately signed a contract till 2029.
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“For me, the individuals are an important factor,” he informed in January. “Meaning greater than all of the trophies. You at all times work to win one thing, and that is nice. However the pleasure of profitable it along with somebody means probably the most. There must be an atmosphere the place folks care about one another – and I really feel we now have created that in Bodo/Glimt.”
Hauge, Bodo/Glimt’s prime goalscorer within the Champions League this season, now with six targets in 9 video games, is an instance of that spirit. The 26-year-old was signed by AC Milan in 2020 after serving to his hometown membership’s early rise, earlier than taking part in for Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany and Gent in Belgium as he tried to make it at a better stage of European soccer.
However Hauge, upon returning to Bodo, had the identical realisation as a few of his team-mates that dwelling was the perfect place for him in any case. It has helped gas the sense of togetherness at a membership that feels as if it has created one thing particular.
Jens Hauge celebrates his purpose within the San Siro (AFP by way of Getty Photos)
Then there may be the affect of Bjørn Mannsverk, a former fighter pilot turned psychological coach whose unconventional strategies are additionally a part of the membership’s story. Mannsverk walked into the membership once they had been within the second division of Norwegian soccer in 2017 however revolutionised the staff’s behaviour , quite than outcomes on the pitch.
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“It’s a fairy story, virtually a miracle,” Mannsverk informed The Related Press final season. “How will you truly come from the second division in 2017 to taking part in Champions League… However I believe it’s doable … when you’ve got the best mentality and you’re employed onerous over time.”
The European journey
Bodo/Glimt gained the Norwegian prime flight for the primary time in 2020, repeating that success in 2021, 2023 and 2024, however it’s on the European stage the place their story has gone mainstream.
They produced their first main shock in 2021 by beating Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 within the group stage of the Europa Convention League, turning into the primary staff to place six previous a Mourinho defence. In addition they defeated Celtic within the knockout rounds, earlier than falling to a defeat to Roma in an ill-tempered quarter-final.
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On their plastic pitch, Bodo/Glimt fashioned a formidable dwelling file in final season’s Europa League run, beating Twente, Olympiacos and Lazio earlier than defeat to eventual winners Tottenham within the semi-finals.
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A primary look within the Champions League was not solely going to plan after the primary six matches. Forward of internet hosting Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis in January, Bodo/Glimt had been winless and their hopes of reaching the knockout play-offs had been hanging by a thread.
However Erling Haaland’s homecoming to Norway was overshadowed by a dominant efficiency from Bodo/Glimt, who added their greatest scalp but. Then, two weeks later, they went to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid and got here from behind to win 2-1 and squeeze by means of from the league section.
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The play-off draw handed Bodo/Glimt with a frightening tie towards Inter, the Italian leaders and final yr’s Champions League finalists. Sensationally, their story is just not accomplished there and they’ll face both a rematch with Metropolis or Sporting within the last-16.