By Our Reporter
Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt pulled off a stunning upset by eliminating Inter Milan from the UEFA Champions League, sealing a 5-2 aggregate victory to reach the last 16.
The side coached by Kjetil Knutsen secured their place in the knockout stage with two impressive wins over last season’s finalists, marking the greatest achievement in the club’s history.
“It’s an amazing evening for the club, the players, the town and Norwegian football,” Knutsen said after the match, praising his team’s steady development and belief in their style of play.
The victory was Bodo/Glimt’s fourth straight win in the competition, having also beaten Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the league phase to qualify for the playoffs.
Promoted to Norway’s top division in 2017, the club has since won four league titles in the last six seasons and steadily built a reputation in Europe. Last season, they became the first Norwegian team to reach the semi-finals of a major European competition in the Europa League.
Against Inter, Bodo/Glimt delivered a disciplined defensive performance. Jens Petter Hauge opened the scoring after capitalising on a defensive error, and Hakon Evjen added another to seal the Italians’ fate.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu acknowledged the competitiveness of the tournament, noting that any team at this stage has proven quality. The defeat was a major setback for the three-time European champions, who had been among the favourites this season.
Bodo/Glimt will now await either Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon in the next round as their remarkable European journey continues.