Bodo/Glimt take on the visitors Crvena Zvezda in the first leg of the final round of UEFA Champions League qualification. The match will be played on Tuesday, August 20th at Aspmyra Stadion (Bodø).
Bodø/Glimt have existed for over a century but had long shown little success—aside from winning the cup in 1975 and 1993. However, in recent years, the club has risen to the top of Norwegian football. They won their first championship in 2020 and defended their title the following year. After a brief pause in the previous cycle, Knutsen's team reclaimed the top spot. And in the current Eliteserien season, the club is only extending its lead. Meanwhile, they have also built a strong reputation in European competitions. Last season, their campaign ended in February when Ajax narrowly outscored them in the Conference League playoffs. This year, they started fresh, aiming to succeed in Champions League qualification. They crushed RFS 4-0 at home and 3-1 in Latvia. The debuting Jagiellonia was beaten in Białystok. At home, they conceded early but turned it around with a resounding 4-1 comeback victory.
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Crvena Zvezda remains the dominant club in their country. The "Zvezdaši" have been football legends since the days of the unified Yugoslavia, with a European Cup triumph to their name. In recent years, thanks to strong financial backing from Gazprom, they have risen far above all other Serbian clubs, including Partizan. Since 2018, no one else has claimed the gold in Serbian football. Last season, they participated in the group stage of the Champions League but only managed one draw, finishing in 4th and last place. Now, they face one final qualification round. Ahead of their current campaign, Vladan Milojević's team stumbled on the domestic stage. They even trailed at home to Mladost Lučani but managed to scrape a 2-2 draw in the final minutes. However, they bounced back with a 4-1 thrashing of Čukarički.
This will be the first-ever meeting between these two sides. All signs point in favor of the Norwegians. They should secure the victory here.
Prediction for the match: Bodo/Glimt to win.
