FK Bodo/Glimt pulled off one of the greatest shocks in Champions League history, eliminating Inter Milan at the San Siro to reach the last 16 in their debut campaign.
The Norwegian champions, currently in their domestic off-season, had already stunned Inter with a 3-1 win in the first leg. In Milan, they absorbed relentless pressure before striking decisively to seal a famous 5-2 aggregate victory.
Inter’s Early Dominance
Inter, three-time European champions and last season’s finalists, came out aggressively as they chased a two-goal deficit. Goalkeeper Nikita Haikin produced a string of crucial saves, including a fingertip stop from Federico Dimarco and a denial of Davide Frattesi, keeping Bodo/Glimt’s lead intact.
Hauge the Hero
The turning point came in the 58th minute when Jens Petter Hauge capitalized on a defensive lapse to score his sixth goal of the campaign — a record for a Norwegian player representing a domestic club in a single Champions League season. Hauge later turned provider, setting up Håkon Evjen for the decisive second.
Inter managed a late response, but it wasn’t enough. Bodo/Glimt became the first Norwegian side since Lillestrøm in 1987-88 to win a Champions League knockout tie.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu admitted disappointment:
“We could have done better in Norway, we could have done better today, too. We gave everything to try to advance, but unfortunately it didn’t go how we wanted. That’s football.”
Leverkusen Advance Despite Stalemate
Bayer Leverkusen booked their place in the last 16 after a goalless draw against Olympiakos at the BayArena, progressing 2-0 on aggregate thanks to Patrik Schick’s first-leg brace.
The German side dominated possession but failed to break down Olympiakos, with Alejandro Grimaldo rattling the crossbar and Schick missing two clear chances. Despite the lack of goals, Leverkusen advanced comfortably, marking their second last-16 appearance since 2016/17.
Olympiakos threatened sporadically, with Chiquinho firing over from distance, but never truly looked capable of overturning the deficit.
Coach Kasper Hjulmand acknowledged the flat performance:
“Our plan wasn’t to defend a lot in this game, but we had to and we did it well. We perhaps lacked a little energy, which we now need to recharge.”
Leverkusen will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the next round.