Inter Milan 1 Bodo/Glimt 2 (2-5)
The best night in Bodo/Glimt’s European history. I did not see this one coming even after last week, at the end of last weeks review I said that Inter had to start quickly and get proper wing-backs into the team following Darmian and Augusto’s disatrous performances in Norway. Dimarco did start and was by some distance Inter’s best player on the pitch putting cross after cross in that neither Pio Esposito nor Thuram could convert to give Inter the lead in the first half. Inter huffed and puffed in the first half forcing the Haikin to make a few good saves but couldn’t create anything really clear-cut to put Bodo on the back foot in the first half. The second half was similar Manuel Akanji made a fatal error on the edge of his own box gifting the ball to Blomberg who’s shot was saved by Sommer but the ball fell to Jens Petter Hauge who yet again scored against Inter to put Bodo/Glimt in the lead on the night. Inter continued to push forward opening up space for Bodo who capitilised yet again after some beautiful football Jens Petter Hauge picked out Hakon Evjen who’s touch and finish was immaculate to put the tie to bed. Bastoni notched a consolation in the 76th minute but it didn’t matter as Bodo/Glimt pulled of the shock tournament so far to send the Serie A league leaders packing at the San Siro, what a story.
Just how far can this Bodo/Glimt side go in the Champions League this season. They might have started out slowly in the competition but some of their results recently has to have Bodo/Glimt believing they can do something special this year, to beat the Serie A leaders twice over the two legs with the first game in the tie being a pretty convincing win in Norway with the away tie again showing they aren’t just a team that relies on the conditions in Norway to be in their favour. Some of the football this team plays is just outstanding and you see the chemistry between each player on the pitch in the chances they create to score past some of these bigger teams. There’s not an out and out superstar in this team but Jens Petter Hauge is putting his name up in lights game after game in this competition and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a big move in the summer off the back of these performances in the Champions Legaue.
What a horrific two performances from Inter in this tie. Last weeks result has cost Inter massively needing to score at least two goals without reply to get to extra-time which they were miles away from doing on the night. I said last week that Cristian Chivu underestimated Bodo/Glimt starting squad players like Darmian, Mkhitaryan, Augusto and Acerbi none of which started this game but it was too little too late to save the tie in the end for Inter. You have to give credit to Bodo/Glimt for defending so well but I’m looking at players like Marcus Thuram, Nicolo Barella, Davide Frattesi to step up when Inter need a goal and yet again they failed to deliver in place of Lautaro Martinez who missed out through injury. Although Inter are 10 points clear at the top of Serie A this is a result that will have many questioning the true ability of Cristian Chivu as manager of Inter, rightfully so in my opinion as Inter have looked off the pace in the Champions League this season along with the rest of Serie A.
Questions have to be asked regarding Serie A clubs in the Champions League. I said the same last week but we really have to start questioning why every team in the Serie A that qualified for the Champions League could be out as early as February. Juventus are staring elimination in the face 3 goals down to Galatasaray along with Atalanta who need to come from 2 goals down against Dortmund tomorrow, unless a miracle takes place tomorrow the Serie A will have no representation in the Round Of 16 in the Champions League for the first time since the 1987/88 season which shows how far the league has fallen in Europe. The last Italian team to win the Champions League was Inter in 2010 under Jose Mourinho and whilst Inter have made the final twice since then along with Juventus who’ve appeared in the final twice as well it doesn’t look like an Italian team will be winning the Champions League any time in the near future.
Who do Bodo/Glimt want next? Waiting in the next round will either be Man City or Sporting Lisbon for Bodo/Glimt, you might think that it’s an easy choice but don’t forget that City went to Norway just last month to face Bodo/Glimt and got sent packing 3-1 so I’m sure City would be keen to avoid another clash in Norway against this very in-form Bodo/Glimt side. Sporting Lisbon vs Bodo/Glimt would be an interesting tie and I’m sure would be an extremely entertaining clash between two of the underdogs in the Champions League this season. Whoever Bodo/Glimt do get will have to travel to Norway and you can just ask Inter and Man City how hard it is to get a result against this team in their own back yard, can Bodo/Glimt do the impossible and kock out another giant in Europe? I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.