Norwegian club FK Bodo/Glimt caused a massive upset in the first leg of the Champions League play-off for a spot in the round of 16. The hosts defeated Inter Milan 3-1 at their home stadium, taking advantage of difficult weather conditions and the benefit of an artificial pitch. Despite Francesco Pio Esposito equalizing in the first half, the Italians succumbed to the hosts' pressure after the break. The situation for last year's finalists is further complicated by an injury to their leader, Lautaro Martinez.

Sensational Norwegian Triumph

The Bodo/Glimt team defeated Inter Milan 3-1, scoring two goals in the space of just three minutes in the second half of the match.

Lautaro Martinez Injury

Inter's captain suffered a calf injury, which according to coach Cristian Chivu is serious and could rule him out of the return leg.

Piotr Zieliński's Appearance

The Polish midfielder came on the pitch in the 76th minute, but could not turn the tide of the match in the difficult conditions on the artificial turf.

The match at the Aspmyra stadium, located above the Arctic Circle, went the hosts' way from the start. Although the Italian representatives dominated possession, Bodo/Glimt opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a goal from Sondre Brunstad Fet. Inter managed to respond ten minutes later when Francesco Pio Esposito finished off his teammates' effort, restoring hope for the Serie A leaders. However, three crucial minutes in the second half proved decisive for the match's outcome, during which the Norwegians delivered two decisive blows. Goals were scored successively by Jens Petter Hauge and Kasper Hoegh, sending the gathered crowd into euphoria. FK Bodo/Glimt, a club from the small town of the same name, gained international fame in 2021 when they sensationally defeated AS Roma, led by Jose Mourinho, 6-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League.The 1-3 defeat puts the team led by Cristian Chivu in an extremely difficult position ahead of the return leg at the San Siro. The Milanese side's problems were not solved by the introduction of Piotr Zieliński in the 76th minute. The biggest concern for the medical staff, however, is the condition of Lautaro Martinez, who left the pitch with a calf injury. Coach Chivu admitted in a post-match interview for Amazon Prime Video that the injury looks serious, which could rule the Argentine out of key matches in the near future. „In my opinion, we lost Lautaro, he got injured. It looks like something quite serious, and we also have other players with problems.” — Cristian ChivuDespite the unfavorable result, Inter players believe in the possibility of turning the tie around. The play-offs have their own rules, and the home advantage in Milan is expected to be key to success. However, the Italians must learn from their defensive mistakes, which Kjetil Knutsen, the Bodo coach, ruthlessly exposed. Italian media describe Nerazzurri's performance as "hell in Norway," emphasizing that it is another embarrassment for Italian football after earlier defeats for Juventus and Atalanta. [{"side1": "FK Bodo/Glimt", "side2": "Inter Milan", "score1": 3, "score2": 1}]3 minutes — separated the two Norwegian goals in the second half

Mentioned People

  • Cristian Chivu — Inter Milan coach, who after the match expressed concern over the injury to his key striker.
  • Piotr Zieliński — Polish midfielder for Inter Milan, who appeared on the pitch in the closing stages of the match.
  • Lautaro Martínez — Argentine striker and captain of Inter, who suffered a serious calf injury during the match.