FK Bodø/Glimt Stun Inter Milan, Advance in UEFA Champions League Playoff

FK Bodø/Glimt Stun Inter Milan, Advance in UEFA Champions League Playoff
Champions League Playoff

FK Bodø/Glimt completed one of the most remarkable upsets in recent UEFA Champions League history on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, eliminating Inter Milan across a two-leg knockout phase playoff. The Norwegian side, based north of the Arctic Circle, won the first leg 3-1 in Bodø and defended their advantage at San Siro to send Inter crashing out of the competition.

How Bodø/Glimt vs Inter Unfolded Over Two Legs

The tie was effectively decided in Norway on February 18 at the 8,000-capacity Aspmyra Stadion. FK Bodø/Glimt raced to a commanding 3-1 lead with goals from Sondre Brunstad Fet (20'), Jens Petter Hauge (61'), and Kasper Høgh (64'). Francesco Pio Esposito pulled one back for Inter Milan in the 30th minute, but the Nerazzurri's defensive lapses in the second half proved fatal.

In the second leg at Giuseppe Meazza, Bodø/Glimt refused to sit back. Jens Petter Hauge struck early to extend the aggregate lead, and Håkon Evjen added a stunning 72nd-minute goal to make the tie completely unreachable. Alessandro Bastoni scored a late consolation for Inter, but it was not enough. Bodø/Glimt advance to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 — a historic first for any Norwegian club in the modern knockout era.

Jens Petter Hauge's Defining Performance

Jens Petter Hauge was the central figure across both legs. The FK Bodø/Glimt winger, who once had a brief stint in Serie A with AC Milan, scored in both matches and finished the tie with six UEFA Champions League goals this season — the best tally ever recorded by a Norwegian player for a Norwegian club in a single European Cup campaign. His powerful top-corner finish in the first leg at Aspmyra, followed by a clinical rebound goal at San Siro, underlined his status as the tie's standout performer.

Inter Milan's Key Absences and Collapse

Inter Milan vs Bodø/Glimt was defined not only by Norwegian quality but by Nerazzurri misfortune. Captain and top scorer Lautaro Martínez picked up an injury in the first leg and missed the return fixture entirely. Hakan Çalhanoğlu was also sidelined. Without their two most influential creative forces, Inter head coach Cristian Chivu struggled to manufacture the comeback needed at home.

Player Status Impact
Lautaro Martínez Injured (missed 2nd leg) Top scorer, 4 UCL goals
Hakan Çalhanoğlu Injured (missed 2nd leg) Key creative midfielder
Jens Petter Hauge (BOD) Fully fit 6 UCL goals in 2025-26
Kasper Høgh (BOD) Fully fit 4 goals in last 3 UCL games

Bodø/Glimt's Historic Champions League Run

FK Bodø/Glimt entered the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League as 23rd seeds but have systematically dismantled elite opposition. Their run now includes a home win over Manchester City, a road win at Atlético Madrid, and a two-leg elimination of Inter Milan — the reigning Serie A leader and a Champions League finalist in two of the previous three seasons. The club is the northernmost team ever to compete in the UEFA Champions League, and their qualification for the Round of 16 is without precedent in Norwegian football history.

What's Next in the UEFA Champions League

Bodø/Glimt will face Sporting CP or Manchester City in the Round of 16, with first legs scheduled for March 10-11. Inter Milan, meanwhile, exit the UEFA Champions League at the playoff stage for the first time since 2020-21, a stinging result for a club that had been building toward a third consecutive final appearance.

Round Dates
Round of 16 (Leg 1) March 10-11, 2026
Round of 16 (Leg 2) March 17-18, 2026
Quarterfinals April 7-8 & 14-15, 2026
Semifinals April 28-29 & May 5-6, 2026
Final May 30, 2026 — Budapest

Inter vs Bodø/Glimt: Aggregate Scorecard

Bodø/Glimt secured a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory over Inter Milan, ending the Nerazzurri's European campaign with a result that will be remembered as one of the UEFA Champions League's great upsets of the modern era.