Inter - Bodø/glimt / inter - bodø/glimt: Champions League playoff shocks
inter - bodø/glimt produced one of the night's biggest upsets as Bodø/Glimt beat Internazionale 2-1 at the San Siro to win the tie 5-2 on aggregate. The result came in a round of Champions League play-offs for a last-16 spot that also saw Newcastle advance and Bayer Leverkusen progress.
Inter - Bodø/glimt: San Siro shock
The second-leg at the San Siro finished Inter 1-2 Bodo, making the aggregate score 2-5 in favour of the Norwegian visitors. Hauge put the visitors in front and Evjen doubled the lead before Bastoni replied for Inter. The tie completed a dramatic reversal after the first leg left Inter with a 3-1 advantage to defend.
Champions League knockout picture
The play-offs were for a last-16 spot. Newcastle beat Qarabag 3-2 in the second leg to win 9-3 on aggregate, while Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 with Olympiacos to advance 2-0 on aggregate. Atletico Madrid beat Club Brugge to set up a tie with either Liverpool or Spurs, and Leverkusen will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the last 16.
Newcastle reaction and debut
Newcastle United cruised into the last 16 after another victory against Qarabag at St James' Park. Ciaran Kelly, reporting at St James' Park, said Newcastle "cruised into the last 16" following the win. Alex Murphy has shared his reaction to making his debut in the Champions League during Newcastle's win at St. James' Park tonight.
Match events and sequences
The sequence in the Newcastle game began in the fourth minute when Sandro Tonali opened the scoring after Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski could only parry William Osula's header into the path of the Italian, who scored his first ever goal in the competition. Just a couple of minutes later Harvey Barnes drilled the ball across goal and the unmarked Joelinton fired home on the volley.
Qarabag, the Azerbaijan Premier League champions, pulled one back after half-time when Camilo Duran skipped away from Dan Burn and finished past Aaron Ramsdale, a moment celebrated after a mammoth 2, 500-mile journey for the travelling support. Sven Botman restored Newcastle's seven-goal aggregate lead by heading home from Kieran Trippier's corner. Later Qarabag were awarded a penalty after Dan Burn handled inside the box; Aaron Ramsdale kept out Marko Jankovic's spot-kick but Elvin Cəfərquliyev was quickest to react to knock in the follow-up. The reporting also used the spelling Elvin Cafarguliyev in match text.
At the San Siro, Bodø/Glimt scored twice in quick succession around the hour mark to stun the Italian giants; the visitors' goals came from Hauge and Evjen, with Bastoni replying for Inter.
Team news, injuries and selection
Before the second leg, Inter faced a selection and injury picture. Serie A leaders Inter Milan had a 3–1 deficit from the first leg to make up when they welcomed Bodø/Glimt to San Siro. Antonio Conte, appointed Inter boss in 2019, had been keen to rid the Nerazzurri of the "pazza" tag; Cristian Chivu was noted as the coach who would need to embrace the chaos. Bodø’s run had included recent positive results on visits to Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid.
Lautaro Martínez picked up a calf injury in the first leg; while there was a suggestion he could recover quicker than expected, Inter’s captain would not be available for Bodø's visit. Marcus Thuram was tipped to partner last week’s goalscorer Pio Esposito in Martínez’s absence. Federico Dimarco had been an unused substitute in the Arctic Circle but was expected to start the second leg. Piotr Zieliński was to operate at the base of midfield in Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s absence, and Nicolo Barella was set to return to Chivu’s engine room after missing Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Lecce.
Voices and perspective
Eddie Howe reflected on Newcastle’s night, saying: "At 2-0 we probably came off the pedal … we didn’t intend to do that but it was the natural reaction … the second half became end to end … we expended too much energy … so we’re disappointed … today feels like a hollow win for us … [reaching the knockout stage of the Champions League] was our target at the start of the season … the sharp end against the decent teams … we have to get our Premier League form back, and that’s the best chance for us to do well in this competition as well … there was a bit of fatigue in the second half … there’s double-edged sword to it as the players are in good rhythm … we’ve won four out of five so let’s keep it going. " He also commented on tifo displayed in his honour: "The love that the supporters give me and the team means everything. "
Post-match reaction included a series of fan reflections: Joakim Nysnø wrote, "Goodness me! Italy just keeps on giving to us Norwegians. Two wins for the men’s national team (and a scoreline of 7-1 on aggregate to boot), a record-breaking medals count in the Winter Olympics, and now one of the most sensational achievements in European football history. Wow, just wow. Can we please be matched up with Italy for the rest of time?" Colum Fordham added, "After their previous giant-killing feats against the likes of Man City and Atletico Madrid, Bodø knock Inter out of the Champions League and here in Naples, not many tears will be shed. Quite extraordinary performance at the San Siro. " Kári Tulinius said, "I’m a football romantic, I love a good underdog story, but this is surely too much. The gods, or capitalism, will punish a team like Bodø/Glimt for bringing such effervescence and joy to the world. What is going on?!? I’m reeling, happily, from what I’ve just seen. I’m having a hard time thinking of Champions League and European Cup upsets that compare. CSKA Sofia beating holders Nottingham Forest in 1980 springs to mind, and I’m sure there are others, but there won’t be many. This is ludicrous. Ludicrous!" Paul Griffin observed, "You’re probably all over this stat, but Bodø/Glimt are the first team sharing its name with an Amnesiac-era Radiohead b-side to qualify for the final stages of the Champions League. "
Bodø/Glimt had been struggling in domestic league form earlier, with two points after the first five matches, then squeaked into the knockout phase in 23rd place and by two goals. Their victory at the San Siro moves them to within one step of becoming only the second Norwegian team to reach the quarter-finals, following Rosenborg in 1997.
That is all for this live page but you don't have to wait long for more Champions League action: coverage continues with further play-off second-leg ties scheduled at 18: 30 GMT on Wednesday.
Closing: Inter 1-2 Bodo (2-5 agg); Newcastle 3-2 Qarabag (9-3 agg); Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Olympiacos (2-0 agg).
