Bodo/Glimt vs Inter Milan: Are the Hosts Ready to Destroy the Nerazzurri's Dream in the Champions League?

JAKARTA - Inter Milan will travel a long way to penetrate the Arctic Circle when they visit Bodo/Glimt's headquarters at Aspmyra Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League playoff, Wednesday night, February 18 or Thursday morning WIB. The three-time European champions are looking for redemption after being finalists in the last three seasons, while the Norwegian representative made history by appearing in the knockout phase for the first time.

Bodo/Glimt's maiden adventure in the Champions League main phase was initially predicted to end quickly. They failed to win in the first six league phase matches, recording three defeats and one draw in that difficult period. However, the most northern club in this competition dramatically reversed the situation in the last two matches.

Bodo surprisingly defeated Manchester City 3-1 at home before stealing a 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid on the road. Two extraordinary results led them to qualify for the last qualifying slot in the drama-filled matchday.

The team coached by Kjetil Knutsen, who just lost the Eliteserien title, is now in excellent physical condition after the winter break. Since being appointed in 2018, Knutsen has led this club to four domestic titles as well as a number of prestigious victories in Europe, including over Celtic, Roma, and Porto. Last season, they even reached the Europa League semifinals before being eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur, after previously eliminating Lazio.

The record against Italian clubs is not entirely favorable. The only victory over a Serie A team in five two-leg duels came when they eliminated Lazio last season. In the long history, Inter once destroyed Bodo with a total of 7-1 in the 1978-79 Winners Cup, winning 5-0 in Milan and 2-1 in Norway.

On the other hand, Inter came with a big mission. Their performance in the Champions League league phase this season has been up and down. After winning the first four matches with only one goal conceded, the Nerazzurri suffered three consecutive defeats. The 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the last match was not enough to break into the top eight automatically, so they finished in 10th place with 15 points.

However, Inter have a strong reputation in two-legged matches. Outside the final match, they won 10 of the last 15 knockout matches in the Champions League, losing only once in that period. After failing to defend the Serie A title last season and being humiliated 5-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the European final, Inter is now back to showing consistency.

Cristian Chivu's team leads the Serie A standings with an eight-point advantage over AC Milan after winning six consecutive victories. The most emotional victory came last weekend when they defeated Juventus 3-2 in the Derby d'Italia, with Piotr Zielinski's winning goal in the 90th minute.

Inter's away form is even more impressive. They recorded seven consecutive victories in all competitions when playing away from home, conceding only one goal in that span. However, the Aspmyra Stadium with temperatures below zero degrees and its synthetic pitch presents a unique challenge that they rarely encounter in Italy.

Bodo/Glimt will likely keep the same lineup as when they beat Manchester City and Atletico Madrid. Only experienced midfielder Ulrik Saltnes is in doubt due to injury.

Odin Bjortuft, Patrick Berg, and Fredrik Sjovold have played full minutes in every Champions League match this season and are expected to start again. Jens Petter Hauge is the main focus of the attack with four goals so far. He also recorded more than 20 chances created and 20 successful dribbles in the league phase. Kasper Hogh also performed brilliantly with three goals in the last two league matches.

Inter rely on the sharpness of Lautaro Martinez, who has collected 25 goals throughout his career in the Champions League and became the Capocannoniere of Serie A last season. He will likely be accompanied by Francesco Pio Esposito, although Marcus Thuram and Ange Bonny are also options.

Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu have recovered from injuries and are ready to perform, especially the two will be absent in the final domestic match this weekend. Denzel Dumfries is still in doubt, while Federico Dimarco will return to fill the left side with 11 assists in Serie A and 11 chances created in the Champions League this season.

Extreme conditions and the atmosphere of the cage can give Bodo/Glimt an advantage. However, the experience and depth of Inter's squad are believed to be the difference. With the momentum of six consecutive victories and a sharp attack line, the Nerazzurri are predicted to be able to bring home a narrow victory from Norway as an important capital towards the second leg.

Bodo/Glimt (4-3-3): Haikin; Sjovold, Gundersen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge.

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Esposito.

Bodo/Glimt 1-2 Inter Milan.