Tuesday night’s match at San Siro ended with Inter’s Cristian Chivu and Bodø/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen engaged in conversation, seemingly discussing tactical aspects of the just-concluded game.
Chivu appeared intrigued by Knutsen’s insights, smiling but clearly puzzled. His Inter side, which led Serie A by 10 points and had been unbeaten in league play since late November, suffered a surprising defeat at home against the Norwegian team, losing 2-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
As Nicolò Barella from Inter remarked: “We struggled to challenge them tonight. The biggest hurdle was creating chances. Congratulations to Bodø/Glimt – they deserved to progress after winning both matches.”
Bodø/Glimt’s Champions League journey this season has been remarkable due to their adaptability. Since winning the Norwegian league for the first time in 2020, they progressed to the Conference League quarter-finals in 2021-22, reached the Europa League semi-finals last season, and now made their mark in the Champions League.
Their European form has improved recently, bouncing back from a poor start. They notably defeated Manchester City at home last month and Atlético Madrid away, securing their playoff spot. In the second leg versus Inter, they played tightly defensively in the first half and took charge in the second.
After a mistake by Manuel Akanji led to Ole Didrik Blomberg’s sharp shot turned away by Yann Sommer, Jens Petter Hauge scored the first goal. Confidence surged, and the second goal was a superb team effort, culminating in Håkon Evjen’s powerful finish.
Evjen described the triumph as “surreal,” reflecting on the comprehensive nature of the team’s performance. In Italy, the media reacted strongly, with La Gazzetta dello Sport noting the lack of excuses for Inter, labeling their performance uncharacteristically uninspired. Meanwhile, in Norway, the media celebrated this historic achievement as a landmark result for the nation.
Knutsen remained composed post-match, emphasizing the collective effort behind their success and downplaying future objectives. Although Bodø/Glimt is currently between domestic seasons, they will soon find out if they face Manchester City again or Sporting in the Champions League’s last 16. Midfielder Patrick Berg expressed readiness for any opponent, joking that City might not want another shot at defeat by Bodø/Glimt.
