Bodo/Glimt carry a comfortable 3-1 aggregate lead back to Norway after a dominant first leg in Nijmegen, and Kjetil Knutsen has opted to rest seven regulars with the job almost done. NEC Nijmegen have also rotated heavily, but they must chase the tie from the start, which promise…
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Sign inBodo/Glimt welcome NEC Nijmegen for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie on Monday, carrying a commanding 3-1 advantage into the deciding encounter. Kjetil Knutsen’s side travel back to their home ground with one foot in the competition’s main phase after a clinical first-leg display, while Dick Schreuder’s NEC face a monumental task if they are to overturn the deficit and progress.
NEC Nijmegen’s preparations are severely hampered by a growing injury list. Sami Ouaissa (hamstring) and Philippe Sandler both sustained issues during the grueling extra-time win over Olympiacos in the previous round, and they are joined on the sidelines by Yassin Moslih and Koki Ogawa. The absences restrict Rogier Meijer’s options at a critical juncture, although the weekend off from Eredivisie duties at least afforded extra recovery time.
For Bodo/Glimt, the picture is less clear. Håkon Evjen remains a doubt with the knee injury that ruled him out of the first leg, while August Mikkelsen is nursing a knock. Knutsen confirmed before the Union Saint-Gilloise return leg that both were unavailable, and Evjen’s creativity would be missed again if he fails to prove his fitness. The return of Ulrik Saltnes, however, provides valuable experience in midfield.
Bodo/Glimt’s 76% win rate in the Eliteserien this season reflects a side operating with supreme fluency. They have won seven of their last nine European outings and remarkably scored two or more goals in 10 of those 11 matches. The 3-1 first-leg victory in Nijmegen—secured through Sondre Brunstad Fet’s close-range opener, Andreas Helmersen’s penalty, and Haitam Aleesami’s header from a Patrick Berg corner—was their seventh success in nine continental games this campaign. That result also made them the first Norwegian club ever to win a Champions League qualification play-off away leg in eight attempts.
NEC’s Champions League debut campaign has already delivered memorable moments, most notably the extra-time triumph over Olympiacos in which Emre Mor struck the decisive goal. Domestic form, however, paints a more troubling picture. Without a league victory to their name this season, Schreuder’s side have struggled for consistency, and the 3-1 home defeat to Bodo/Glimt exposed familiar defensive vulnerabilities. There was a flicker of hope when Clement Bischoff slid in at the far post in the 86th minute, and Kevin Kers later struck the post, but the Dutch outfit now need a near-perfect away performance.
Tjaronn Chery was named man of the match in the first leg despite ending up on the losing side, his ability to find space between the lines causing occasional discomfort for the Norwegian champions. In the second leg, his duel with Patrick Berg—Bodo/Glimt’s World Cup quarter-finalist and midfield anchor—will shape much of the contest. If Berg can force Chery to receive possession with his back to goal, NEC’s transitions will slow considerably, robbing them of the quick attacks they desperately require to mount a comeback.
NEC, given the weekend off by the Eredivisie to prepare, know the mountain they must climb. Bodo/Glimt, meanwhile, are 90 minutes from a return to the league phase where they felled Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan last season. The second leg will determine whether the Norwegian champions finish the job, or whether a Dutch miracle unfolds.
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