Inter Milan, the European vice-champion, left the current edition of the Champions League in the play-off phase on Tuesday evening. After 0-0 at halftime, Inter conceded two goals in the second leg from Milan. It ended 2-1 for Bodo. The pressure of the Serie A leader did not destabilize the Norwegian team, which had also won in the round, with 3-1.
INTER MILANO – BODO/GLIMT 1-2
Bastoni (76) / Hauge (58), Evjen (72)
After defeating Manchester City (3-1) and Atletico Madrid (2-1) in the single group stage, Bodo enters the round of 16, being the big surprise of the competition, after 5-2 on aggregate with Inter Milan, the European vice-champion. The Nordic group won both legs, 2-1 in Norway and 2-1 in Italy, on Tuesday night. For Inter, the battle in Serie A remains, where they have a 10-point lead over second-placed AC Milan. Chivu’s team is also in the semifinals of the Italian Cup, where they will face the awkward Como, the team of the Spaniard Cesc Fabregas.
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Inter’s first-leg defeat to Bodo/Glimt was only the second suffered by an Italian side against Norwegian opposition in the Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League. The first was that of AC Milan against Rosenborg, in December 1996 (1-2).
Bodo/Glimt are trying to become the first Norwegian side to qualify for a Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League double-elimination tie since Lillestrom in the first round of the 1987-88 season (against Linfield).
The last team to qualify from a UEFA Champions League double-elimination after a 2+ goal away defeat in the first leg was Liverpool in 2018-19 (vs Barcelona in the semi-finals, 4-3 on aggregate). Since then, 11 other teams have found themselves in the same situation, but none have managed to qualify.
Internazionale won their first four UEFA Champions League games under Christian Chivu but have since lost four of their last five (one win).
Sondre Fet’s opening goal against Internazionale in the first leg came at the end of a 16-pass spell. It is the longest goal-scoring run by Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League this season, but also the longest period at the end of which Inter have conceded a goal in this edition.
Alessandro Bastoni could become the first Italian to reach 50 games as a starter for Inter in the Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League (he currently has 49). The defender would also become the fifth outfield player to reach this milestone for the club, following Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso, Iván Córdoba and Lautaro Martínez.
Looking for a replacement? Is Simeon coming?
Giuseppe Marotta, the president of Inter, gave statements before the match with Bodo/Glimt, the return of the play-off for the “eights” of the Champions League. The team coached by Cristi Chivu (45 years old) must turn around the failure of the tour, score 1-3.
He reiterated his support for the Romanian coach, in the context in which the Spanish media launched a rumor the other day that Diego Simeone (55 years old), Atletico Madrid’s technician, already had a pre-contract signed with the Serie A leader.
The president of Inter, total confidence in Cristi Chivu: “Fake news!”
A few minutes before the game with Bodo/Glimt, Marotta prefaced the game and explained that there is no question of the Romanian being replaced, regardless of the fate of the game with the Norwegian team.
“(no – about the Diego Simeone option at Inter) We can define them as fake news. We are extremely pleased with Chivu. Maybe we were a little lucky with him. Chivu proves by his deeds that he is up to the requirements to coach Inter.
From an economic point of view, tonight’s game is important, but not decisive. It’s an important meeting. If we miss this goal, we’ll have to fix it along the way, but that’s not a problem”, said Marotta, for Sky Sport Italia.
Regardless of the outcome of the match with Bodo/Glimt, Inter has one hand on the title in Serie A. Cristi Chivu’s team is in first place after 26 stages, with 64 points, 10 ahead of AC Milan, the main pursuer.
After the match with Bodo/Glimt, Inter will receive a visit from Genoa, the club patronized by Dan Șucu, on February 28.
Play-off schedule (second leg)
Tuesday
Newcastle – Qarabag 3-2 (in round 6-1)
Inter Milan – Bodo/Glimt 1-2 (in round 1-3)
Atletico Madrid – Club Brugge 4-1 (in round 3-3)
Bayer Leverkusen – Olympiakos Piraeus 0-0 (in round 2-0)
Wednesday
Juventus Turin – Galatasaray Istanbul (round 2-5)
Real Madrid – Benfica Lisbon (in the round 1-0)
Atalanta Bergamo – Borussia Dortmund (round trip 0-2)
PSG – AS Monaco (in the round 3-2)
