Bodø/Glimt beat Inter Milan 2-1 at San Siro and, after a 3-1 home win, advanced to the Champions League round of 16 with a 5-2 aggregate victory. The Norwegian club, whose league season starts only in March, became the first team from near the Arctic Circle to reach this stage of the competition. Italian media describe the defeat as a disgrace and announce sporting and financial consequences.

Advancement after 5-2 aggregate win

Bodø/Glimt won 3-1 at home and 2-1 in Milan, eliminating the Serie A leader and last season's finalist. The Norwegian club advanced to the round of 16.

League season yet to start

The Norwegian league is set to return only in mid-March, and Bodø/Glimt remains in the preparation cycle, spending part of the winter at training camps, including in Spain.

Financial blow for Inter

Italian analyses indicate a drop in UEFA prize money to about €71.27 million and a possible budget gap of around €20–30 million relative to the season plan.

Media reactions and incidents

The Italian press assessed the elimination as a disgrace, and in Milan, a 22-year-old Bodø/Glimt fan suspected of vandalism was detained. The match was watched by over 1.01 million viewers on Sky.

Bodø/Glimt eliminated Inter Milan in the Champions League play-offs, winning 2-1 at San Siro and 5-2 on aggregate in the two-legged tie (after a previous 3-1 win in Norway). Kjetil Knutsen's team, still in their winter preparation cycle, again played quickly and boldly, while Inter – despite early ball possession dominance – struggled to create clear chances for a long time. Reports highlight Jens Petter Hauge and Håkon Evjen as scorers of key goals, with some sources also noting a late goal by Alessandro Bastoni that did not change the outcome of the tie. Bodø/Glimt's advancement is described as a breakthrough: the first club from northern Norway, effectively from the Arctic Circle region, has reached the round of 16, and the Norwegians also defeated Manchester City (3-1) and Atlético Madrid (2-1) along the way. „Es surrealista” (It's surreal) — Håkon Evjen European football remembers that matches with the highest stakes have sometimes been marked by events beyond sport. The most tragic symbol remains the 1985 final at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, the consequences of which changed stadium safety approaches for years. The theme of this disaster also returns in cinema today, including in a film shown at the Berlin festival. 65 mln euro — less UEFA prize money for Inter Italian commentary focuses on sporting and financial consequences. Inter, the Serie A leader with a 10-point advantage, had planned at least advancement to the round of 16, and elimination means a correction of UEFA prize money and the budget. Some analyses calculate that the club will earn about €71.27 million in this edition, compared to €136 million the previous season, representing a drop of about €65 million; other texts estimate an immediate shortfall relative to the plan at about €20–30 million. Against this backdrop, speculation arises about selling stars and seeking profits from capital gains, alongside ownership control by the private equity fund Oaktree. The disparity in potential, described among other things by comparisons of market value, only sharpened the assessment of the defeat in Milan. „It sounds not true. But we are there.” — Jens Petter Hauge Norway at the 2026 Winter Olympics: medals: Gold: 18, Silver: 12, Bronze: 11 The thread of Norwegian form extended beyond the pitch: some media juxtaposed Bodø/Glimt's success with Norway's achievements at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. There were also match-related incidents: Italian police detained a 22-year-old Norwegian in central Milan suspected of vandalism, and the broadcast on Sky averaged over 1.01 million viewers. Inter must quickly return to league action – previews already mention the match against Daniele De Rossi's Genoa.

Mentioned People

  • Kjetil Knutsen — Bodø/Glimt coach who led the team to Champions League advancement.
  • Cristian Chivu — Inter Milan coach; after the second leg, he spoke about energy issues and difficulties in creating chances.
  • Jens Petter Hauge — Bodø/Glimt player, mentioned in reports as a key scorer in the tie against Inter.
  • Håkon Evjen — Bodø/Glimt player; quoted after advancement and indicated as the scorer of an important goal in Milan.
  • Nicolò Barella — Inter player; spoke about difficulties in creating goal-scoring opportunities against the Norwegians.
  • Beppe Marotta — Inter president; according to reports, suggested the need for balance sheet actions after elimination from the Champions League.
  • Daniele De Rossi — Genoa coach; before the match against Inter, appealed for the team not to accept 'mediocrity'.
  • Ståle Solbakken — Norway national team manager; described Bodø/Glimt's advancement as the greatest club achievement of a Norwegian team.
  • Johannes Høsflot Klæbo — Norwegian cross-country skier; indicated as one of the faces of Norwegian dominance at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
  • Manuel Akanji — Inter player; mentioned in comments as co-author of errors in the rivalry with Bodø/Glimt.