The Bodo/Glimt side. Photo via football-italia.net.
Bodo/Glimt are a Norwegian 1st division side who are a bubbling topic of discussion at the moment. Glimt, a town of 55 thousand, and whose stadium’s capacity is a mere 8,270, has shocked the world in the Champions League this season by beating top clubs Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, and now Inter Milan (twice).
Glimt’s name has evolved over history. In the mid-1900s, they changed their name due to confusion with a different club in Norway; first using a hyphen, then opting for a forward slash to avoid confusion on betting slips and in newspapers.
The idea and context of the Champions League
The idea of the Champions League is to host an international competition in which the top teams from the world’s best leagues compete against one another to see who truly is the best team on the planet. Usually, all the focus is on the big names, which is fair because the gap between Premier League, Ligue 1, Serie A, and Bundesliga teams and the rest of the world is so big. Essentially, though the competition comprises teams from 16 different domestic leagues, about half of the leagues never see one of their teams make any noise. – Year after year, the competition is dominated by familiar faces.
Now, let’s rewind and review how the Norwegian side’s campaign has gone:
On the brink of elimination
After match week 5 of the round-robin, Glimt were given a 99.7% chance of elimination. At that point, they were winless, drawing to Slavia and Spurs, and then losing to Galatasaray, Monaco, and Juventus in consecutive matches. They were never a thought in anyone’s mind to begin with, and with Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, and Atletico Madrid ahead, you almost felt bad for the club and their fans.
For context, Dortmund is a household name in the footballing world; they have a Champions League title and 5 Bundesliga titles. Manchester City has been one of the best clubs in the world in the past decade, winning 19 titles since the 2015-16 season. Atletico Madrid is also recognized as one of the best clubs in the world and finished 3rd in LaLiga last season.
What Glimt then went on to do was truly incredible. Let alone the statistical possibilities of a playoff qualification, beating three of Europe’s biggest names was a joke in and of itself. Against Dortmund, the Norwegian side drew. Here is the Cinderella story: Glimt held a 3-0 lead in the 58th minute against the best team in the world, Man City – the game finished 3-1, Bodo, with the Norwegians controlling just 34% possession. Then, against Athleti, Glimt fought back from 1- 0 down to beat the Spanish giants 2-1. With that win, the Norwegian’s found a way into the next phase of the Champions League, defying all the statistical odds.
Source: footballtoday.com
Knockout round matchup vs Inter Milan
You’d think that after playing Man City and Atlético Madrid, the side would be set for an easier matchup – this wasn’t the case; they had to play the runners-up from the 23-24 season: Inter Milan. The knockout phase is comprised of 2-legged affairs, giving both teams the chance to play at home. After two games, the goal difference is aggregated, and whoever has scored more moves on. Glimt played the first leg at home and continued their run with a gritty, convincing 3-1 win. Being upset in the manner they were, Inter were rattled, and didn’t turn it around in the second leg, as the Norwegian club beat them again 2-1.
Reference Point: Bodo/Glimt’s total wage bill comes to 153 thousand pounds per week – Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez makes 277 thousand pounds a week.
Where do Bodo/Glimt go from here?
With all of Norway on their back, Glimt will inevitably be the David fighting Goliath in any matchup they end up with, though there are some favorable outcomes. As they are in the round of 16, the side will face either Portuguese side Sporting CP or an old foe: Manchester City. Glimt will be hoping they aren’t matched up against City for a second time. They have already exceeded expectations, and all the pressure is on whoever they end up playing. This bodes very well for Bodo and could help them going forward.
