KEY POINTS
- Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt defeated Inter Milan 2-1 on Tuesday to secure a historic 5-2 aggregate win.
- This victory marks the first time a Norwegian club has ever progressed from a Champions League knockout round.
- Last season’s finalists Inter Milan exited the competition despite dominating possession and taking 32 shots in the second leg.
Bodø/Glimt completed one of the most remarkable underdog stories in European football on Tuesday night. The Norwegian club traveled to the iconic San Siro and secured a 2-1 victory over Italian giants Inter Milan. This result followed a 3-1 first-leg win in Norway, sealing a 5-2 aggregate triumph in the Champions League playoff round. The team from the Arctic Circle has now officially earned a place in the round of 16.
Inter Milan entered the return fixture under immense pressure to overturn their two-goal deficit. The Serie A leaders dominated the early exchanges and peppered the visitors’ goal with constant attacks. According to match data, Inter registered 32 attempts on goal throughout the evening. However, Bodø/Glimt goalkeeper Nikita Haikin delivered a masterclass performance to keep the home side frustrated for nearly an hour.
The match turned in the 58th minute following a significant defensive lapse from Inter. Defender Manuel Akanji, who had recently returned to the pitch after treatment, misplaced a backpass near his own area. Ole Didrik Blomberg intercepted the ball and forced a save from Yann Sommer, but Jens Petter Hauge was perfectly positioned to tap in the rebound. The goal silenced the home crowd and pushed Inter further toward the exit.
Håkon Evjen effectively ended the contest in the 72nd minute with a moment of individual brilliance. After receiving a searching pass from Hauge, Evjen controlled the ball with one touch and fired a precise strike into the bottom corner. Although Alessandro Bastoni managed to pull a goal back for Inter four minutes later, it served only as a late consolation. Goal-line technology confirmed Bastoni’s effort had narrowly crossed the line, but a comeback never materialized.
This achievement sets a new milestone for Norwegian football on the international stage. Bodø/Glimt is the first team from the nation to survive a knockout tie in the modern Champions League era. Their journey to the round of 16 included high-profile league-phase victories over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid. Coach Kjetil Knutsen praised his players’ belief and execution against one of the world’s most successful clubs.
Inter Milan’s elimination represents a significant setback for Italian football. The Nerazzurri had reached the final last season but struggled to find clinical finishes in this year’s playoff stage. Midfielder Nicolò Barella acknowledged after the match that Bodø/Glimt deserved to advance after winning both legs of the tie. Inter must now shift their focus entirely to defending their lead in the domestic league.
The Norwegian minnows will now wait for the upcoming draw to discover their next opponent. They are slated to face either Manchester City or Sporting Lisbon in the next phase of the tournament. More than 3,000 traveling fans celebrated at the final whistle in Milan, marking the greatest night in the club’s history. The football world now looks on to see if this fairytale run can continue into the quarterfinals.
