By Martin Graham
Bodo/Glimt continued their remarkable European adventure with a famous victory Inter Milan at the San Siro, sealing a place in the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
With a 3-1 lead from the first leg, the Norwegian champions faced intense pressure from the three-time European Cup winners, who had been beaten by Paris St-Germain in last season’s final. Inter dominated the early stages, but the visitors held their own against a flurry of first-half attacks.
After overcoming that spell, Bodo struck twice to silence the Serie A leaders. A 2-1 win on the night secured an emphatic 5-2 aggregate win over Cristian Chivu’s side, underscoring their growing reputation for upsetting the established powers.
Head coach Kjetil Knutsen described the achievement as a historic occasion for both the club and Norwegian football Jens Petter Hauge shone once again, scoring the first goal before riding Hakon Evjen for the second goal.
Numbers that underline achievement
The win marked the first time a Norwegian team has won a knockout stage in the Champions League era and the first progression for a Norwegian club to the European Cup since Lillestrom advanced in 1987-88.
Bodo/Glimt also became the first team from outside Europe’s big five leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France) to record four consecutive wins in a single European Cup or Champions League campaign against opponents from those nations since Ajax in 1971-72, a season which ended with the Dutch club lifting the trophy.
Hauge’s strike in Milan was his sixth in this season’s competition, the highest ever achieved by a Norwegian player representing a Norwegian club in a single edition of Europe’s elite tournament.
Their path to this stage looked unlikely at the start of the campaign. After failing to win any of their opening six games in the league stage, they needed positive results against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to keep their hopes alive, and they delivered both.
From the far north to European nights
A 3-1 success at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City marked their resurgence, and a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid confirmed their place in the play-offs.
Last season, Knutsen’s men reached the semi-finals of the Europa League before losing to Spurs, becoming the first Norwegian club to reach the quarter-finals of a major European competition.
Much of its strength comes from its base, located about 70 miles inside the Arctic Circle. Harsh winter conditions (freezing temperatures, snow and high winds) are combined with an artificial surface that can unsettle visiting teams accustomed to natural grass.
Over the past few years, several well-known sides have battled it out. Roma won 6-1 in the Europa Conference League, while Celtic, Besiktas, Porto and Lazio also went away defeated.
Now awaiting Manchester City or Sporting in the round of 16, Bodo/Glimt move forward with confidence and the support of their yellow-clad supporters, who were very visible in Milan. Captain Patrick Berg said few expected them to beat Manchester City, Atletico and Inter but described the achievement as magnificent.
Knutsen added that he hopes his trip will show what is possible for clubs in smaller cities, calling this message the most beautiful element in his history.
