Bodø/glimt prepares for Europa League clash against Porto at Aspmyra Stadium

Tomorrow, Wednesday, marks the beginning of yet another European adventure for Bodø/Glimt. This time, they enter the UEFA Europa League, the second most prestigious tournament in Europe, following their participation two years ago. Their first challenge is against Porto, who will travel north to compete at Aspmyra Stadium.

“It’s going to be very exciting. We’ll face teams that could suit us well, and there are some highlights that both we and our supporters can look forward to,” said Jens Petter Hauge after the draw in late August.

In their final preparation match, Bodø/Glimt suffered a significant 4-1 defeat to Brann in Bergen, which drew criticism. During a recent press conference, both Håkon Evjen and coach Kjetil Knutsen addressed the disappointing performance and discussed what improvements have been made ahead of their European test.

“We’ve reviewed a lot of footage from the match that offered learning opportunities. It was a tough experience, but educational,” Evjen commented. He added, “We came away with some positives in terms of having clear areas to work on. I hope we’ve strengthened those aspects to ensure we are more prepared against Porto.”

Coach Knutsen emphasized the necessity of being honest about their performance in Bergen. “We had a very poor first half, but there were also several things that were quite good. It’s important to communicate this and to learn from the experience,” he noted. He continued, “When faced with adversity, it’s crucial to move on quickly. We know how fast things can change. Bodø/Glimt can vary in performance, but we are always seeking to deliver strong displays.”

In the new tournament structure, Glimt will face a total of eight teams, with a standout match being Manchester United at Old Trafford. Their upcoming opponents in Europe include:

– FC Porto (Home) (POR) – Manchester United (Away) (ENG) – Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. (Home) (ISR) – Braga (Away) (POR) – Union SG (Away) (BEL) – Qarabag (Home) (AZE) – Besiktas (Home) (TUR) – Nice (Away) (FRA)