The date with history for Bodo/Glimt. After reaching the quarter-finals in the first edition of the Conference League – last April Kjetil Knudsen’s men were eliminated at the end of a double-header against Mourinho’s Roma, who then lifted the trophy – the team from the small town on the edge of the Arctic Circle do not want to stop impressing. And now it is only two games away from what would be an even more extraordinary feat: qualification for the group stage of the cup with the big ears, the Champions League. Territory obviously never explored by Bodo/Glimt in the past: the last Norwegian side to qualify for the group stage was Rosenborg in the 2007-08 season.
Saltnes and his teammates have come through the previous three rounds brilliantly, getting the better of Klaksvikar, Linfield and Zalgiris and surprising mainly by the ease with which they have found the way to goal. Overall, they scored an impressive eighteen, confirming their offensive vocation. Bodo is also catching up in the league, which unlike in other European tournaments is in full swing. They are currently second, but after eighteen matches they boast the best attack in Eliteserien.
They will have to pay close attention to Dinamo Zagreb, a team that is certainly more experienced but which last year was eliminated in the play-offs by another outsider Sheriff Tiraspol. The five-time reigning Croatian champions in the previous qualifying rounds overcame Shkupi and Ludogorets and after four rounds are leading their league standings on 10 points.
Bosko Sutalo of Dinamo Zagreb ©️Ansafoto
The prediction
Dynamo Zagreb, apart from their greater international experience, perhaps have something more than the Norwegians. But we already realised last year how fearsome Knudsen’s boys can be, especially in front of their own public and despite the excellent disposals. We imagine that Bodo/Glimt can avoid defeat in a match in which both teams are likely to score.
Bodo/Glimt-Dinamo Zagreb matchday squad
BODO/GLIMT (4-3-3): Haikin; Wembangomo, Moe, Hoibraaten, Sampsted; Vetiesen, Hagen, Saltnes; Mugisha, Salvese, Pellegrino.
DINAMO ZAGREB (4-4-2): Livakovic; Ristovski, Lauritsen, Peric, Ljubicic; Baturina, Misic, Ademi, Ivanusec; Drmic, Orsic.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
