Inter Vs Bodø/glimt: 'Historical moment' as Norwegian minnows reach Champions League last 16 after San Siro shock
Inter Vs Bodø/glimt was the defining fixture in Milan as Bodo/Glimt sealed a 2-1 win in the play-off second leg to complete a 5-2 aggregate victory, sending the Norwegian side into the Champions League last 16 for the first time. The result matters because it caps a run in which the Arctic-based team beat top opponents in the league phase and then repelled a sustained Inter fightback in Italy.
Inter Vs Bodø/glimt: how the San Siro upset unfolded
Bodo/Glimt travelled to San Siro holding a 3-1 advantage from the first leg and defended that cushion under repeated Inter pressure in the first half. The visitors struck in the second half to make the tie safe: Ole Didrik Blomberg seized on a loose pass on the edge of the Inter area and drove at goal in the 58th minute; Yann Sommer pushed the initial shot away but Jens Petter Hauge reacted quickest to convert the rebound from close range. Håkon Evjen then put the result beyond doubt in the 72nd minute with a precise right-footed finish into the far bottom corner. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter in the 77th minute, but the comeback proved too late and the night finished 2-1 on the scoreline, 5-2 on aggregate.
Key incidents: Akanji error, Hauge’s influence and decisive finishes
A separate clip of the match highlighted a defensive error by Manuel Akanji that allowed Jens Petter Hauge to put Bodo/Glimt ahead; footage circulated showing that moment as a turning point. Hauge was again central to Bodo’s progress: he opened the scoring in Milan to register his sixth goal of the competition this season and later provided the assist for Håkon Evjen’s finish. The sequence in Milan mirrored the team’s composure across the tie — repelling numerous first-half Inter attacks before striking decisively after the break.
Why this is a historical moment for Bodo/Glimt and Norwegian football
The club, based around 70 miles inside the Arctic Circle, have repeatedly defied expectations this campaign. Their route to the knockouts included victories over Manchester City and Atlético Madrid in the league phase, and now the knockout success over Inter. Club boss Kjetil Knutsen described progression as a historical moment for Bodo and for Norwegian football. Hauge’s six-goal return in this edition is also the most ever by a Norwegian player for a Norwegian club in a single European Cup/Champions League campaign.
There are broader firsts on the record: Bodo/Glimt are the first Norwegian side to progress in a knockout-stage tie in the Champions League and the first club from Norway to reach this stage of the European Cup since Lillestrom in 1987-88. They are also the first team from outside Europe’s big five leagues to win four consecutive games in a single European Cup/Champions League campaign against opponents from England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France since Ajax’s run in 1971-72, a season that ended with Ajax lifting the European Cup.
From early league-phase struggles to a fairytale run
The run to the knockouts felt unlikely at one stage: Bodo/Glimt failed to win their first six league phase matches and were left needing results against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid to qualify for the play-offs. Their home environment, often characterised by harsh wintry conditions, has been a recurring part of the club’s recent narrative and their wider rise has attracted archival attention under the banner 'Football in the Arctic — the incredible rise of Bodo/Glimt. ' Players and staff now look ahead with excitement about what the next fixtures will bring.
Wider knock-on effects in the Champions League draw
The Milan result confirmed Bodo/Glimt will face either Manchester City or Sporting in the last 16. Other play-off ties produced notable outcomes: Atlético Madrid advanced after a 4-1 win over Club Brugge in the second leg to complete a 7-4 aggregate victory, powered by a hat-trick from Alexander Sørloth. Brugge’s earlier 3-3 draw in Belgium had seen them twice come back and level in the 89th minute. In Madrid’s second leg, Sørloth put Atlético ahead in the 23rd minute, Joel Ordóñez levelled 13 minutes later, Johnny Cardoso put Atlético 2-1 early in the second half, and Sørloth added the remaining goals in the final 15 minutes to secure progression; Atlético will now face either Liverpool or Tottenham in the last 16.
Bayer Leverkusen also booked a last-16 spot after earning a 0-0 draw away to Olympiakos to seal a 2-0 aggregate triumph. Leverkusen had won the first leg in Greece thanks to a double from Patrik Schick and will face either Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the round of 16 next month; the draw is scheduled to take place on Friday. These results reshape the landscape for the next phase and set up several high-profile matchups.
Recent coverage of the San Siro tie emphasised how Bodo/Glimt’s combination of resilience, opportunism and standout individual moments produced one of the competition’s most striking upsets and advanced the club to a landmark last-16 appearance.
