Preview: Inter vs Bodo/Glimt – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

San Siro units the stage for the return leg of an thrilling UEFA Champions League knockout playoff tie between Inter and Bodo/Glimt. The Nerazzurri suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat within the first leg final week and are actually staring down the barrel of an early elimination.

Kjetil Knutsen’s facet took full benefit of the Aspmyra Stadion’s artificial pitch to catch Inter off guard. Regardless of heading into the halftime interval on degree phrases, Bodo/Glimt made Francesco Pio Esposito’s first-half strike irrelevant, as former Milan winger Jens Petter Hauge and star striker Kasper Hogh impressed the Norwegians to a historic win.

Certainly, Bodo/Glimt grew to become the primary Norwegian facet to beat Italian opposition in a significant European competitors since 1996. Moreover, they’re now on the point of turning into the primary Norwegian workforce to progress from a knockout stage tie within the UCL since Lillestrom in 1987/88. Nevertheless, Inter’s elimination is something however a foregone conclusion.

Cristian Chivu’s males bounced again from the Arctic upset with a 2-0 win at Lecce final weekend. With Milan shedding to Parma at dwelling on Sunday, Inter are actually ten factors clear at Serie A’s summit. As such, Chivu is heading in the right direction to win the Scudetto in his debut season at San Siro. Nonetheless, a standout end result on the continental entrance stays considered one of Oaktree’s high priorities.

As such, Inter will seemingly do all the pieces of their energy to show this tie on its head.

Match Preview

Inter

Eager to enact revenge on the Bodo outfit, Inter can draw confidence from their stellar kind at San Siro. They’ve gained their final three dwelling outings throughout all competitions by an combination rating of 11-4, together with a controversial 3-2 Derby d’Italia victory over arch-rivals Juventus of their most up-to-date such fixture.

Dwelling and away, Chivu’s costs have gained seven of their final eight aggressive video games (L1), scoring no less than two objectives in every win. Nevertheless, Inter should set a brand new membership file in the event that they’re to progress into the subsequent spherical with out the burden of additional time. They should win a Champions League knockout sport by a 3+ objective margin for the primary time in membership historical past.

Worryingly, they’ve misplaced 4 of their final 5 Champions League matches (W1), together with a pair of defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal on dwelling soil. Defensive solidity might show essential right here, not least as a result of the runaway Serie A leaders have saved a clear sheet in 11 of their final 15 UEFA dwelling triumphs.

They’ll/Glimt

Knutsen’s facet defied the shortage of aggressive kind within the first leg. Nonetheless, it’s price noting that that they had a number of benefits in that conflict, together with the artificial floor, favorable climate situations, and the buoyant assist of their dwelling followers. Subsequently, Bodo/Glimt could be naive to write down Inter off earlier than tonight’s kickoff.

Nonetheless, the guests should be assured after beating none aside from Atletico Madrid, Manchester Metropolis, and Inter of their final three Champions League outings. Consequently, they turn into the primary workforce since 1971/72 from exterior of Europe’s big-five leagues to file 4 consecutive wins in a single Champions League season in opposition to groups from these 5 leagues.

Historical past doesn’t favor them right here, although. Certainly, Bodo/Glimt have by no means crushed Italian opposition on the highway (D1, L6), highlighting the dimensions of the duty awaiting Knutsen’s lads this night. Fortunately for them, they solely have to keep away from shedding this fixture by a multi-goal margin to etch their names into the membership’s historical past books and lengthen their dream maiden look within the knockout phases.

Staff Information

Inter misplaced star center-forward Lautaro Martinez to a calf damage within the first leg, with Marcus Thuram and Pio Esposito anticipated to steer the road now. In the meantime, Federico Dimarco and Piotr Zielinski are prone to return to the beginning lineup after being rested final week, with the latter changing Hakan Calhanoglu as a deep-lying playmaker. Moreover, Denzel Dumfries has returned from a prolonged spell on the sidelines, however he’ll in all probability begin on the bench.

However, Bodo/Glimt have arrived in Italy with out Nigerian ahead Reward Sunday and Danish striker Mikkel Bro Hansen. Knutsen will put his facet’s destiny into the arms of Hogh, who has netted our objectives and arrange two extra in his final three European appearances.

Inter vs Bodo/Glimt Potential Beginning Lineups

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito.

Bodo/Glimt (4-3-3): Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge.

Inter vs Bodo/Glimt Prediction

It will take a courageous man to guess in opposition to Bodo/Glimt after all the pieces that occurred within the Arctic Circle final week. Nevertheless, that is a completely completely different setting, with the packed San Siro roaring behind the Nerazzurri. Subsequently, we count on the house facet to overturn a deficit in a Champions League knockout tie for the primary time in 15 years and keep away from the ignominy of failing to safe a spot within the Spherical of 16 for the primary time since 2020/21.

Prediction: Inter to Progress

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