Preview: Bodo/Glimt vs. Porto – Prediction, team news, lineups

postage embark on the long journey north to the Arctic Circle to Bodo/Glimt in their European League Opening on Wednesday.

The Norwegian champions are considered to be an extremely difficult away opponent in European competitions, as the guests leave sunny Portugal to brave the elements in northern Norway.

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Bodo/Glimt begins its European season with its first ever encounter with a Portuguese club, in a competition in which the club has previously attracted attention.

Two years ago, Bodo surprised Europe with a 6-1 win over Roma in the group stage. This season the club also reached the quarter-finals, where the Giallorossi took revenge by eliminating Roma. Kjetil Knutsen's side facing outwards.

Knutsen is still in office and had to watch as his team narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in the summer.

After eliminating RFS and Jagiellonia Bialystok in the qualification and beating Red Star Belgrade in the first leg of the playoffs, Bodo suffered a painful final defeat for the second time in a row, suffering a defeat in the Serbian capital and being relegated to the Europa League.

Knutsen's side also have one of the toughest draws, facing Nice and Besiktas from Pot Four and travelling to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

Despite being low in the UEFA rankings, playing away at Bodø/Glimt on an artificial pitch in freezing temperatures is an arduous task, given that they have won 24 of their 30 European home games since returning to continental competition in 2020.

Bodo goes into this game having won its last eight home games in all competitions, losing twice on home soil in 2024: in the cup against Lilleström with a heavily rotated team and after extra time against Ajax in the Conference League.

However, confidence may be somewhat shaken after Bodo suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat at second-placed Brann at the weekend, reducing the club's lead at the top of the Eliteserien table from ten to seven points.

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Porto will be looking to capitalise on the club's decent start to the season in Portugal and will be looking to challenge an impressive Sporting Lisbon side at the top of the table.

It was a defeat against Sporting earlier this month that Victor Bruno However, this was his first defeat as a coach, which means that Porto now has to catch up with the champions.

An impressive 3-0 away win at European rivals Guimaraes at the weekend was the perfect preparation for this game and reduced the gap to Sporting to just three points.

The start of the Europa League season could be difficult for Porto given the long away trip here before facing Manchester United next week.

This is only their third season in the Europa League since the UEFA Cup was renamed, and after winning their debut in 2010/11, Porto were eliminated in the group stage in 2019/20.

Bodo/Glimt-Form (All competitions):

Porto form (all competitions):

Team News

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While Bodo/Glimt has a long list of players currently out due to injury, it is still the departure of Albert Gronbaek to Rennes, which will be particularly painful.

Philip Zinckernagel was loaned out as a replacement for the departing winger and the former Watford man scored his first goal for the club in the defeat to Brann at the weekend.

The long list of injured players includes Nino Zugelj And Brice Wembangomothe Knutsen will be missed very much, but Jostein Gundersen could return after an illness to replace Brede Moe in central defence.

Postage Fabio Vieira is close to returning from injury, allowing him to make his second debut for the club after returning on loan from Arsenal in the summer.

The club brought Samu Omorodion as a replacement for the Bournemouth route Evanilsonand the young Spanish striker scored twice on his debut at the weekend, having earned a starting place with a substitute goal against Farense a week earlier.

Elsewhere on the injury front, defensive duo Zaidu Sanusi And Ivan Marcano is out due to serious knee injuries.

Possible starting eleven for Bodo/Glimt:
Haikin; Sjovold, Gundersen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Berg, Evjen, Fet; Zinckernagel, Hogh, Hauge

Possible starting eleven for Porto:
Diogo Costa; Joao Mario, Perez, Jose Pedro, Francisco Moura; Eustaquio, Varela, Nico; Ivan Jaime, Omorodion, Galeno

We think: Bodo/Glimt 2-2 Porto

Porto have won six of their last eight games against Norwegian teams, but given the climate and the pitch, this is a very different challenge and will require some adjustment.

The visitors have not conceded a single goal in 15 Europa League matches and Bodo/Glimt have repeatedly shown that they are capable of causing problems for some of Europe's elite clubs. And they could cause some problems again here.

Click here to see a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match.

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