Dutch media refer to tonight’s Champions League playoff return match between Bodø/Glimt and NEC Nijmegen as a huge challenge for the visitors. With a 3-1 lead from the first leg and a feared home ground in Bodø, the Norwegians are big favourites to secure advancement.
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– Bodø defended the lead in an effective way
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According to VoetbalPrimeur, NEC were not completely out of the game in the first leg in Nijmegen, but they faced a very efficient Bodø/Glimt team that won 3-1. Now the return to Aspmyra is described as a very tough task for the Dutch.
The bookmakers also have clear expectations. Bodø/Glimt are set up at odds of 1.48 for a win, while NEC are all the way down to 5.20. It underlines how big a favorite status the Norwegian league champions have in the showdown.
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Knutsen: “We have to be prepared for all scenarios”
According to Voetbal International (VI), Bodø/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen is still not convinced that the job is done. During the press conference on Monday, he emphasized that the team must be prepared for the NEC to attack the game differently than in the first meeting.
“I don’t know if NEC is going to do anything different. It will be interesting to see what they have learned from last week’s game and what they will do. Should they invest from early on? We must be prepared for all scenarios,” Knutsen is quoted as saying.
He was pleased with much of the play in Nijmegen, but pointed out that the last 15 minutes – in which NEC reduced to 1-3 and hit the post – showed that the team was getting tired and conceding too many crosses.
“We have to read the opponent’s play faster. If they move many forwards, we have to keep up and prevent early crosses. Tactically, we failed in that phase, says Knutsen to VI .
“Bigger than just the game”
Journalist Sander Janssen writes on X that the press conference for Bodø/Glimt was about far more than just tonight’s match. He points out that there is a “coefficient awareness” in Norway, and that this double match stands for something bigger – probably a reference to Norway’s position in UEFA’s coefficient rankings and future places in the European Cups.
Goals are expected both ways
Several Dutch sources point out that Bodø/Glimt are unbeaten in 16 games across all competitions. In addition, the team has won eight straight home games in Champions League qualification, averaging three goals per game.
The NEC, on the other hand, faces a historic challenge – the club has never qualified for the Champions League, nor has it ever turned around a European Cup clash after losing the first leg.
Nevertheless, many believe that NEC will force goals. Both Football Whispers and Yahoo Sports expect goals from both teams, and predict an open and entertaining showdown with Bodø/Glimt victory. The tip reads 3-1 to the home side, which would give 6-2 on aggregate and advancement to the Champions League league phase.
The match will be played at Aspmyra Stadium on Tuesday 25 August at 21:00 Norwegian time.
