Bodø/Glimt’s fairytale continue as they shock Inter to reach R16
Norwegian champions FK Bodø/Glimt have scripted one of the most astonishing fairytale runs in recent UEFA Champions League history, toppling European heavyweights, Inter Milan 5-2 on aggregate to book a historic place in the Round of 16.
In what has been a debut campaign to remember, the Eliteserien side have defied expectations at every turn, first by conquering giants in the league phase, and now by eliminating last season’s finalists, Inter Milan, over two legs in the playoffs.
Few gave Bodø/Glimt a chance when they were drawn alongside some of Europe’s elite. But the Norwegian outfit stunned the continent by beating Manchester City and Atlético Madrid during the league phase, results that signaled they were no pushovers.
Playing with fearless intensity, tactical discipline, and relentless pressing, they turned their modest Arctic home ground into a fortress and proved they could compete with and beat Europe’s best.
Masterclass Against the Nerazzurri
Their biggest statement, however, came against Inter Milan in the knockout playoff round.
Despite Inter sitting comfortably at the top of Serie A and boasting a squad filled with international stars, Bodø/Glimt stunned the Nerazzurri with a commanding 3–1 first-leg victory. The result sent shockwaves across Europe, but many still believed the Italians would overturn the deficit at the San Siro.
Instead, the Norwegians completed the job in emphatic fashion.
At the iconic San Siro, Bodø/Glimt displayed composure beyond their years. Jens Petter Hauge—once of AC Milan— haunted his former city by scoring and creating another as the visitors silenced the home crowd as ran away 2-1 victors. Inter pushed relentlessly, but Bodø’s defensive resilience and clinical finishing proved decisive.
Winning home and away against last year’s runners-up underlined that this was no fluke, it was a statement of arrival.
History Made for Norwegian Football
Reaching the Round of 16 means that Bodø/Glimt have become the first Norwegian side in over three decades to progress through a knockout tie in Europe’s elite club competition, reviving memories of Lillestrøm SK’s famous 1987–88 European run.
Even more remarkable is that this success comes during Norway’s off-season, a period when the squad would typically be preparing for domestic action rather than facing Europe’s aristocracy.
Bodø/Glimt’s journey has been built on more than just tactical discipline. It has been fueled by collective belief, smart recruitment, and a fearless attacking identity. They press high, transition quickly, and play with a confidence that belies their limited European pedigree.
Now into the last 16, they await another heavyweight challenge but if this campaign has proven anything, it is that underestimating the Norwegian champions comes at a cost.