Bodo/Glimt have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, and they have done it in style.
Their journey to the knockout stage has been nothing short of remarkable. The team from northern Norway, with a total squad value of just £49 million, has beaten some of the biggest clubs in European football.
Big Wins Against Big Names
Bodo/Glimt defeated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City 3-1 at home. They travelled to Spain and beat Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid 2-1. Then came two games against Inter Milan, which they won 5-2 on aggregate.
This means Bodo/Glimt have now beaten teams from England, Spain and Italy. They are the first Norwegian side ever to win a knockout-stage tie in the Champions League. The last Norwegian team to progress in the European Cup was Lillestrom back in 1987.
A Slow Start Turned Around
The road to the last 16 was not easy. Bodo/Glimt failed to win their first six games in the league phase of the competition. They needed results against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid just to reach the play-off round.
Against all expectations, they delivered both wins. The victory over Manchester City got everyone’s attention. But beating Atletico in Madrid proved it was no lucky one-off.
Home Advantage in the Arctic
One key to their success has been their home stadium. Bodo is located in northern Norway, where winter temperatures drop well below freezing. The city can be bitterly cold, with snow and strong winds during the long winter months.
Because of the weather, Bodo/Glimt play on an artificial pitch made of plastic. Many visiting teams, used to playing on grass, find this difficult to adjust to. Combined with the players’ belief in themselves, this has made Bodo a tough place to visit.
Five years ago, they famously beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 at home in the Europa Conference League.
Celtic, Besiktas, Porto and Lazio have all lost there too.
History Made
Jens Petter Hauge has scored six goals for Bodo/Glimt in this Champions League campaign. That is the most goals ever scored by a Norwegian player for a Norwegian club in a single European Cup season.
Bodo/Glimt are also the first team from outside Europe’s top five leagues to win four straight games against opponents from those leagues since Ajax in 1971-72. That Ajax team went on to win the European Cup that year.
From Europa League to Champions League
Last season, Bodo/Glimt reached the Europa League semi-finals. They lost to Tottenham, but they had already made history by becoming the first Norwegian side to reach the last four of a major European competition.
Now they have gone one step further by making the Champions League knockout stage.
What the Players and Manager Say
“It’s amazing,” said captain Patrick Berg after the win over Inter. “For the club and city it’s unbelievable. I don’t think people thought we could beat Manchester City, Atletico and now Inter two times. It’s magnificent.”
Manager Kjetil Knutsen, who has built this team over several years, spoke about what it means for smaller clubs everywhere.
“I am so proud, we are a team from a small town,” he said. “I really hope we show if we can do it, then everyone can do it. For me that’s the most beautiful thing of the whole story.”
What Comes Next
Bodo/Glimt will now wait to find out who they face in the last 16. Manchester City, should they be drawn together, will not be looking forward to another trip to the Arctic.
The fans, dressed all in yellow with scarves held high, will be behind their team every step of the way. They were unmissable at the San Siro in Milan, and they will travel wherever their team goes next.
For a club from a small city with a squad worth a fraction of what the European giants spend, this fairytale run is proof that football can still surprise us. As Knutsen said, if Bodo/Glimt can do it, maybe anyone can.